By OBAKENG MAJE
Bafana Bafana defeated Eswatini at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqheberha with a score of 1-0. The team, led by Bafana Bafana assistant coach, Helman Mkhalele, secured the win through an early goal from Thabang Sibanyoni in the third minute.
Despite this victory, they were unable to progress to the semifinals of the COSAFA Cup after finishing second in Group A with five points, behind leaders Mozambique. The tournament rules stipulate that only the three group winners and the best-placed second team can advance to the semifinals.
Mkhalele expressed pride in his players, highlighting their efforts, character, and humility. Even though the team did not make it to the knockout stage, he commended them for their performance against Eswatini.
“The main goal of participating in the regional event was to develop a larger pool of players and further SAFA’s long-term vision. My pride is in the players and the valuable lessons they learned during their matches against Mozambique, Botswana, and Eswatini.
“The tournament provided an opportunity to identify players who could potentially contribute to the senior Bafana Bafana team for World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers under head coach, Hugo Broos,” he said.
The Guardian 