ON THE MARK: Bafana Bafana begin AFCON journey with renewed optimism

This week’s kick off of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers comes with renewed optimism around the South African national team.

The country starts its bid to qualify for the 2025 finals, which are to be hosted by Morocco, on Friday at home to Uganda and then play away against South Sudan in their opening two matches in Group K.

The other team in the group is Congo, who Bafana will meet twice in a matter of days next month, and with the top two of the four sides in the section qualifying, this would seem a relatively routine assignment for South Africa to return to Nations Cup finals tournament in December next year.

The last tournament in the Ivory Coast brought about some unexpected success with a third place finish for Hugo Broos’ side.

It provided a much-needed fillip for the game in the country although the era of sponsors tripping over themselves to get behind Bafana Bafana is long gone.

Hopefully, at least, there will be a decent crowd on Friday night at the Orlando Stadium for the match against Uganda, although this is anything but guaranteed.

The nations’ affections have moved markedly from Bafana to the Springboks, who could sell the stadium five times over for Saturday’s test against New Zealand in Cape Town.

The bottom line is that everyone loves a winner and yeaes in the doldrums have left the Bafana brand with much catching up to do.

Progress to the semifinal in the Ivory Coast was a boost and making it to the next Cup of Nations finals will be further progress. South Africa could be a real contender in Morocco should the team make it.

But the big prize remains a place at the World Cup in North America in 2026. The qualifiers will resume next March with South Africa in a good position although with a few unnecessary points already dropped.

South Africa has missed out on the last three World Cups since hosting the 2010 event. Hopefully that sad statistic comes to an end in just under two years’ time.