In what could come as a major upset, South Africa have failed to seal a spot in next year’s Africa Cup of Nations after suffering a 2-0 defeat to Sudan in their final Group C qualifier.
Bafana coach Ntseki made four changes to the side that played out to a 1-1 draw with Ghana. Lebohang Maboe, Thabang Monare, Ben Motshwari and Luther Singh came into the side. Rivaldo Coetzee, Sifiso Hlanti, Andile Jali and Moroka Swallows star Ruzaigh Gamildien were all dropped from the XI.
The game didn’t go as planned as the hosts opened the scoring just after five minutes on the clock. Malik Bakhit rose highest to score with a header following a free-kick.
In-form Percy Tau had a great chance to level matters but Sudan defender Kamal made a last-effort tackle to deny the forward. Not long after, Thulani Hlatshwayo saw his headed effort hit the woodwork.
Things soon went from bad to worse for South Africa as Sudan grabbed their second in the 32nd minute. Abdel Rahman showed great composure to drift pass Hlatshwayo and slot the ball past Ronwen Williams.
It was a completely poor performance from Bafana in the first half and the Desert Hawks could easily have scored more on another day.
The second half started with South Africa pushing for a comeback. Thapelo Morena sent a good delivery to Motshwari but the forward spent too much time on the ball and got crowded by the opposition.
In a bid to try and save the game, Ntseki made a triple change with Hlanti, Gamildien and Lyle Foster coming off the bench.
Sudan came close to adding a third with Abdel Rahman seeing his headed effort go just wide off goal. The forward came close to scoring again from a curled effort not long after. Similar to his earlier chance, it went wide off goal again.
Morena should have reduced the deficit for Bafana in the 74th minute but his close effort was saved instinctively by the legs of Sudan goalkeeper Ali Abdallah Abu-Eshrein.
In the end, Sudan’s two goals in the first half were enough to see them book a second-place finish in Group C and a spot in the AFCON for the first time in nine years. Ghana finished as group leaders while South Africa missed out, finishing in third. No doubt, Ntseki will come under intense criticism in the coming days.