Bafana Bafana’s AFCON exit offers early relief for local and overseas clubs

It still hurts, and will probably do so for some time. But such is the nature of Bafana Bafana’s early elimination from AFCON that it could very well be a silver lining for clubs.

Bafana exited the continental showpiece after losing 2–1 to Cameroon in the last 16 at Agdal Medina Stadium in Rabat on Sunday night.

That defeat all but signalled how disappointing the South Africans had been since the start of the tournament. They failed to punish the Indomitable Lions in the first 20 minutes on three occasions, before ultimately conceding on the stroke of half-time and immediately after the restart - the fact that Evidence Makgopa scored two minutes before regulation time notwithstanding.

Indications that they might struggle as the tournament progressed didn’t start there. They were on full display as early as the first game, with Bafana struggling to hit third gear against Angola and leaving it late to win 2–1 courtesy of a late goal from Lyle Foster.

Heading into the second clash against Egypt, they were regarded as underdogs. But after being a man up in the second half and chasing a one-goal deficit, they tried to claw their way back into the game. It wasn’t to be, though, with coach Hugo Broos lamenting that poor refereeing cost them on the day as they should not have been penalised, instead awarded a late penalty.

With all to play for in the last match against Zimbabwe, Bafana worryingly looked shaky against their COSAFA neighbours. However, they held their nerve to win 3–2.

So, given all their shortcomings in the group stage, they were duly exposed in the next round, which is why they’ll probably sneak into OR Tambo International Airport upon their return instead of receiving a grand entrance like two years ago, when they finished third at the last edition of AFCON in Ivory Coast.

Granted, Bafana’s early-exit wound is set to linger, though Broos said they quickly need to evaluate where they came up short in the tournament. Still, it is a blessing in disguise for clubs, as they’ll get their players back earlier than scheduled.

After a month-long hiatus, the PSL top-flight season is scheduled to resume on January 20 - just two days after the conclusion of AFCON. With these new developments, some key players who were with Bafana can get a few days off before rejoining their teams ahead of the restart.

It’s a bittersweet moment for Betway Premiership log leaders Orlando Pirates. While they were rooting for Bafana to go all the way, they’ll gladly welcome back their nine stars - the most represented club in the Bafana set-up.

Pirates need everyone on deck from the restart of the season if they are to continue setting the pace in the league until the final day, and add the Nedbank Cup to their impressive cup collection after winning both the MTN8 and Carling Knockout in the first half of the campaign.

Reigning champions Mamelodi Sundowns also need their squad at full strength from the outset. They weren’t at their best in the first half of the season, losing out on everything domestically to rivals Pirates.

Should they continue to stutter in the final stretch, the club could well pull the trigger on coach Miguel Cardoso even before the curtain falls on the season, especially after once again pumping money into an import, this time Colombian striker Brayan León Muñiz, reportedly signed for R53 million on a three-and-a-half-year deal.

With most leagues abroad having remained in full swing throughout the festive season, overseas clubs are also set to benefit from early AFCON exits, including Lyle Foster’s EPL side Burnley.

The Clarets desperately need Foster back in their arsenal as they fight to stay afloat. They currently sit second from bottom with just 12 points from 20 games.

Foster could be the trump card they need to turn things around, having enjoyed a strong AFCON campaign with two goals and two assists.

Broos will also hope his troops hit top gear from the outset at their clubs, as that will come in handy in the next Fifa window in March, which will serve as the curtain-raiser for the World Cup finals in June.