ON THE MARK: Gutsy and resilient Bafana lift SA's spirit

South Africa have not had as significant a victory like Tuesday’s win over Morocco in years, certainly not since the victory over Egypt in Cairo at the same stage of the Africa Cup of Nations four years ago.

Then it was a real ‘snatch and grab’ affair as Dean Furman’s pass set Thembinkosi Lorch away for a last gasp win that knocked out the hosts, stunning the spectators and sensing shock ways through the tournament.

Not dissimilar to the contest in San Pedro, although to be fair to Bafana there was no ‘thief in the night’ stuff about the win that sees them through to the quarterfinal on Saturday.

Rather, a gutsy and resilient display, characterised by admirable patience and realism, and of course a major dollop of luck.

Achraf Hakimi was particularly petulant through the game, his irritation manifesting itself in an ugly outburst at the linesmen, and he got his come-uppance from the footballing Gods when he skyed his penalty.

South Africa’s national team has long been in the doldrums, with little to excite since the 2010 World Cup.

That disaster on the field, when Bafana became the first team to fail to get past the first round, marked a slow downward slide and there have been few moments to savour since.

The entire football industry needs a lift and a successful Bafana Bafana is key. The professional league gets a boost and the feel-good factor filters right down to all levels of the game, right down to impressionable kids deciding which sport they prefer.

Here in the Ivory Coast, there has been a lot of praise for Bafana and their fluid playing style.

Much is made by all the pundits of the cohesion that comes from the fact there have been eight Mamelodi Sundowns players in the starting line-up for the past three games at the tournament.

But there have also been much made of the fighting spirit and physical exertion that the Cape Verde Islands have displayed in their giant-killing run and many who reckon they could continue at Bafana’s expense.

That would be a bitter blow after the excitement of this week’s win which offered a rare return to the positive feelings that we used to regularly enjoy in the 1990s.