Bafana Bafana’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign has concluded with a
focus on their defensive vulnerabilities, which proved pivotal to their
early exit.
The team conceded six goals across four matches in the tournament. This
represents a significant regression from their 2023 AFCON performance, where
a formidable defence—letting in only three goals—was the foundation of their
run to the semi-finals.
The stark contrast has prompted debate over whether the recent tournament
exposed a structural weakness or simply a lapse in concentration at critical
moments.
Captain and goalkeeper Ronwen Williams acknowledged the issue directly after
South Africa’s elimination. He emphasized that defensive organization had
been the team’s bedrock and that its failure was decisive.
“What has made us over the last few years is… we pride ourselves in clean
sheets as a team. We work so hard. We defend so hard but it wasn’t to be,
and if you don’t keep clean sheets, you can’t win games,” Williams stated.
Looking ahead, the captain stressed the need for introspection and a return
to core principles. “We have to just go back to basics, see what made us the
team that we were over the last few years, and just work on certain elements
and just go back to the drawing board and be the team that we know we can
be,” he added.
