Johannesburg - Bafana Bafana’s previous World Cup qualification campaign - which began with coach Pitso Mosimane and ended with Gordon Igesund at the helm - is one incumbent national team mentor Shakes Mashaba will do well to block from memory.
It was a disaster as Bafana failed to book their ticket to the 2014 showpiece in Brazil having begun poorly with a 1-1 draw at home to lowly Ethiopia, who went on to top that group but couldn’t get past Nigeria to qualify for their first ever World Cup. Mosimane was dismissed soon after, with Steve Komphela appointed caretaker for the trip to Botswana a few days later. That match also ended 1-1.
There was a lot expected from Igesund when he was appointed in June 2013 to rescue a qualification campaign that seemed to have already gone pear-shaped. He was seen as a miracle worker after all and duly delivered in his first World Cup qualifier as coach in a 2-0 victory over Central African Republic.
But in the end Bafana missed out, and it is now Mashaba’s turn to try and guarantee South Africa are among the five countries representing Africa at Russia 2016.
The journey begins in Ouagadougou against a Burkina Faso side that has just qualified for next year's Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon). Mashaba couldn’t get Bafana to the tournament to be held in Gabon and that failure has invited a barrage of criticism. Senegal and Cape Verde are the other two sides in Group D of Bafana’s World Cup qualification phase and only one of them gets to travel to Russia.
The SA Football Association were again tempted to make a coaching change weeks before this crucial fixtures, but held back and reluctantly put their trust in Mashaba.
The Stallions will provide a stern first test for Bafana, but it is important not to repeat the mistakes from the past. Next up will be Senegal at home early next month before a nine-months long wait for another qualifier, away to Cape Verde in August 2017.
Mashaba has picked a squad of heavyweights for the trip to Ouagadougou, one that should still do well even without the influential Andile Jali (injured) in midfield.
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The Star