Costly Defensive Lapses Undermine Bafana’s AFCON Campaign
There were heavy expectations placed on Bafana Bafana at this Africa Cup of Nations, and an exit in the Round of 16 ultimately fell short of what many believed this squad could achieve.
As IOL Sport analyst Michael Sherman noted in his assessment, there may never have been a better opportunity to face Cameroon. Yet when it mattered most on Sunday in Rabat, South Africa failed to capitalise, going down 2–1 to the five-time Afcon champions at the Agdal Medina Stadium.
Statistically, Bafana controlled large portions of the contest. They enjoyed 64% possession and attempted 15 shots to Cameroon’s nine. However, Sherman pointed out that dominance without precision counts for little at this level. Only two of South Africa’s efforts were on target, while Cameroon managed three shots on goal — converting two of them.
Familiar defensive issues resurface
According to Sherman, the clearest indicator of how Bafana would fare against elite opposition was their narrow 1–0 defeat to Egypt earlier in the tournament. That performance offered a realistic benchmark of their defensive structure against top sides.
Once again, costly defensive lapses proved decisive. The opening goal conceded against Cameroon stemmed from avoidable errors — mistakes that supporters had hoped coach Hugo Broos had already ironed out. Instead, similar problems continued to surface.
Sherman also highlighted that these issues were evident earlier in the competition, particularly in the tense 3–2 victory over Zimbabwe. Across four matches at this Afcon, South Africa recorded two wins and two defeats — but crucially failed to keep a clean sheet in any game.
That trend is especially concerning given that goals were conceded against lower-ranked opposition such as Angola and Zimbabwe, suggesting structural vulnerabilities rather than isolated lapses.
Sherman’s conclusion was measured but clear: Bafana Bafana remain competitive against Africa’s strongest teams, but competitiveness alone will not be enough heading into the FIFA World Cup later this year.
To progress beyond the group stage on the global stage, South Africa must tighten defensively, reduce unforced errors, and become far more clinical in front of goal — turning control and promise into results when it matters most.