The weight of the World Cup proved too heavy for a Bafana Bafana side stepping onto the biggest stage for the first time, according to former captain Bongani Khumalo.
Also see: AfricaPicks unites fans through sport, community & education
South Africa went down 2-0 to Mexico at the Estadio Azteca, finishing with nine men after red cards for Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane.
Bongani Khumalo shares his thoughts
Khumalo, part of the 2010 World Cup legends squad who watched from the stands in Mexico City, believes the occasion overwhelmed some of Hugo Broos’s players.
“The World Cup comes with heavyweight in terms of emotions, and sometimes that can be quite overwhelming,” Khumalo told SABC Sport.
“Fair enough, we lost 2-0, but we are still in the tournament. We have two games to go, and I believe we can still get it back. We’ll have to come out of our shells just a little bit more.”
Also see: Bafana vs Mexico biggest World Cup opener since 2010
Fellow Bafana legend Surprise Moriri echoed that view, pointing to the offensive phase as the key area to address against Czechia.
“This is not how we expected to start, but we must not lose hope,” Moriri said. “It’s just a shame that we got those two red cards. The boys just have to regroup, and hopefully, we get some points in the next two games.”
Bafana face Czechia without Sithole and Zwane through suspension. Czechia lost its opener 2-1 to South Korea, leaving both sides
desperate for a result.
Goal difference could prove crucial in deciding the best third-placed teams, with three points potentially enough to advance to the knockout phase.
Originally published by Soccermag.
Also see: ‘Bafana Fridays’ officially kick off in support of national team
Be the first to know – Join our WhatsApp channel for content worth tapping into. Click here to join!
