There’s a national anthem that we always sing as country whenever one of our brightest talents in the country gets a move overseas especially when it’s not to the top five leagues in Europe let alone when it’s a move to USA, Saudi Arabia or scandanavian countries because we believe that that particular player deserves to play in the top leagues in Europe but the reality is, we haven’t produced enough quality let alone consistently to get full attention of the top European leagues and that has denied us a good track record as a football nation.

Despite our Betway premiership league being arguably the best commercially in the continent, top European clubs would rather send their scouts to a West African Tournament played between West African countries like Nigeria, Ghana, Mali and Burkina Faso because those countries have built a better track record of producing players who are able to migrate and transition smoothly in to their teams but in the southern part of the continent, we haven’t built that reputation and that’s why our players that we believe should go to top leagues in Europe, ended up in lower lower leagues that are not even in the top 10.

The class of 96 AFCON were not the most technically gifted generation campared to what we have now but they were physically and mentally stronger hence they managed to move to top leagues and stay longer and there was a huge gap between them and the likes of Steven Pienaar. Most of our current superstars in our league are built by hype rather than the true qualities that Top European clubs can open a checkbook and sign them without long many negotiations as they are try to make sure that they put clauses that makes them not the biggest losers when a player doesn’t make it.

In South America especially in Brazil and Argentina, they produced over 100s of players to Europe every year to various leagues like Russia and other small leagues in Europe but because some of them are so good, ended up in the EPL as we have seen with Fernando, Fernandinho, William amongst others. A Brazilian youngster whose true value is 25 million Euros, ended up signed for over 50 million euros because of the competition from top European clubs like Barca, Bayern, AC Milan, Man City, Chelsea and PSG amongst others but here in our country, it’s a big things just to have European club from top five leagues signing our player and send him out on loan to adjust and adapt to European football before they could recall him but in most cases, they ended up sold or returning back home after just two or three years.

We should be humble enough as football loving nation that we haven’t produced enough quality players let alone consistently to be expecting our brightest talents to move straight to Top European leagues. We should be humble enough to allow our players to move to North Africa es3to top clubs like Ahly, Esperance, Waydad and few others because those moves exposes our players to wider market. I’m very happy for Mbekezile Mbokazi’s move to USA as it was the case for Nkota in Saudi Arabia at the beginning of the season. If we think Relebohile Mofokeng is too good for Saudi Pro league, Belgium league, Danish Super league or to a second division side in Spain, then we must know that could still be in the betway premiership for longer.

Bafana Bafana were promising leading up to the goal scored by Appollis but soon after that, have been under siege as the Angola were on top creating goalscoring opportunities and the boys started to buckle under pressure of waves of attack. To make matters worse, our fullbacks in Mudau and Modiba have been emasculated and couldn’t push forward as expected because Angola is using their wingbacks to pin them back and as a result Appollis and Nkota were not brought into the game as often as they should and something must be done tactically to regain control.

We haven’t been ourselves and I don’t think our midfield has settled and dominated but the whole issue could be found on wingbacks that have been pinned back and our wingers are almost dead except on patches of brilliance rather than a sustained period of productivity. Dropping Sithole slightly between two centrebacks and allowing Mudau and Modiba to push forward more as wingbacks to confront Angola wingbacks higher up, could be something that will bring balance because Luvumbo down the right and Carneiro on the left have been good at keeping our fullbacks in their own half of which, affect the whole structure and that needs to be fixed.

After going into the break level at 1-1, Bafana Bafana were not inspiring any confidence and they had to do something different in order to take full control of the game and that’s exactly what they did in the second half. The introduction of Moremi was expected since Nkota had a frustrating first half but it was more to lack of supply rather than him being poor and early in the first, Moremi restored Bafana’s lead and only for VAR to deny him a very beautiful goal As Brent Foster was judged to have been offside in the move leading to that goal.

With their tales up and playing normally as the confidence was restored, they put foot on the ball and remembered their identity and soon, Angola knew that they are playing the tournament’s favorites and as the game grew due to impact of substitutions, Bafana Bafana were later rewarded when their counter press caught opponents off guard as Foster finished the move to get the winning goal for South Africa. The introduction Bathusi Aubaas in the place of Sipho Mbule was on point and he helped stabilize midfield and ensure that there’s security with his physicality, tactical astuteness and helped Bafana to see off the game. Congratulations to South Africa and credit to coach Broos.