Why Pitso Mosimane’s Concerns About Bafana Bafana Is Justified Despite Victory Over Guinea
- Bafana Bafana secured a narrow 2-1 home victory over Guinea at Orlando Amstel Arena on Saturday in their 2027 AFCON qualifying opener
- Head coach Pitso Mosimane praised the first-half performance but raised concerns about his side's inability to convert chances
- A football analyst in a chat with Briefly News echoed Mosimane's sentiments and warned the finishing problem could cost Bafana in bigger games
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Pitso Mosimane has called on Bafana Bafana to sharpen their finishing after a 2-1 victory over Guinea in their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at Orlando Amstel Arena on Saturday gave him a winning start to his second stint as head coach.
Ime Okon and substitute Samukele Kabini scored on either side of half-time to secure the three points, though Guinea did pull one back to keep the result closer than Mosimane would have liked.
Mosimane warns of costly habit
Speaking to SABC Sport after the final whistle, the coach, nicknamed 'Jingles', acknowledged the positive elements of the display but was candid about a long-standing weakness in front of goal.
"We played well, especially in the first half. The message was there – we pressed hard, we pressed at the top, we pressed there, we stole a few balls," he said.
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"But you know our South Africa problem: we don't finish the chances, and then you know what's gonna happen later when you play against these quality teams. They'll punish you, and they got their chance. Are we okay, right? But we just need to score goals."
His remarks pointed to a concern that a narrow margin of victory, built on missed opportunities, could prove costly in more demanding fixtures further into the campaign.
Analyst backs Mosimane's concerns
Football analyst Themba Modise, in an exclusive interview with Briefly News, agreed that the finishing issue deserves serious attention, noting it predates Mosimane's current tenure.
"I agree with Pitso over his concerns about Bafana Bafana not being ruthless in front of goal," Modise said. "This issue has been there since Hugo Broos, and it's costing us games, especially against top sides in major tournaments."
Modise also urged the squad to make the most of upcoming fixtures to build confidence in front of goal.
"If they keep missing chances, it might haunt us in big games in the Africa Cup of Nations; we need to start converting our chances. I want them to score loads of goals against Eritrea as it could be useful, since it's just one team that would qualify from our group."
Bafana's next qualifying fixture is against Eritrea, with South Africa needing a convincing result to strengthen their position at the top of the group.
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Source: Briefly News
