Cape Town - Bafana Bafana's profligacy was once again laid bare in last Friday's AFCON clash against lowly Liberia at Orlando Stadium where the 2-all stalemate proved heart-wrenching for the 70-year-old Belgian tactician Hugo Broos.
Moments after Liberia snatched the injury-time (91st minute) equaliser, Broos stormed out of his technical area like a man who needed an urgent bathroom break while the match was still in progress.
Broos could not muster the courage to move in for the post-match on-field media interview because we heard he was seething with anger.
The match again showed up Bafana Bafana's worrying issues in the final third where the marksmen needed to pull the trigger or settle on other options, depending on their positions.
Burnley's Lyle Foster scored two early goals and Bafana Bafana's efforts in the opening hour garnered a hatful of scoring opportunities on the back of a 60% possession advantage.
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If one of two of these opportunities were converted the game would have been over as a contest long before the final whistle.
Instead, the celebrated Percy Tau, Themba Zwane and Bongokuhle Hlongwane, playing as attacking midfielders misfired in the striking zone all afternoon.
Bafana Bafana was also at their wit's end when Tau's goal was not awarded at a time when a 3-0 lead would have put the game far beyond Liberia's reach.
Bafana Bafana learnt from the experienced Ethiopian referee Bamlak Tesema that it was an indirect free-kick rather than a (direct) free-kick. Because the ball did not make contact with a player and went directly into the net, the goal was disallowed.
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Bafana Bafana cannot afford lapses of concentration because it will be costly, as was the case on Friday. The 2-0 scoreline did not deter Liberia from staging a spirited fightback and they did so in style.
In Liberia on Tuesday, Bafana Bafana will be intimidated at every opportunity, and they need to stay focused. They need to be alert to the referee’s signals and run with them.
And coach Broos needs to stay in the trenches and not desert his post when setbacks strike.
@Herman_Gibbs