SA in a muddle over rules
Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane
Coach Pitso Mosimane admitted he had changed tactics and played for a draw in Saturday’s final qualifier at home to Sierra Leone, thinking it would be enough to win the group and qualify for the 2012 finals.
But South Africa actually needed a win to avoid being eliminated on a head-to-head count out in a three-way tie at the top of the table, but no one had studied the regulations.
Instead they were pipped by outsiders Niger, who qualify for the first time.
Bafana Bafana embarrassingly celebrated supposed qualification at the end of a 0-0 draw with Sierra Leone in Nelspruit, having been unclear about the rules, which state that in the event of a tie between two or more teams, the winner is decided on head-to-head results between the teams concerned.
“It’s very sad for South Africa because the country deserves to be in next year’s Nations Cup. I feel like I have failed,” Mosimane told reporters.
The coach, who took over after the World Cup after severing a mentorship alongside legendary Brazilian coach Carlos Alberto Parreira, was under the impression that goal difference would be the decisive in determining the group winner and when he was given news that group leaders Niger were trailing in Egypt, he decided to change tactics and settle for a draw.
Niger had led South Africa by a point going into the final round of
qualifiers on Saturday.
“Do you think I would have left [striker Lehlohonolo] Majoro on the bench and put on a midfielder if I knew that we needed a goal? It doesn’t make sense,” Mosimane said before trying to cover his tracks by criticising the regulations.
“Africa is a jungle, my friend,” Mosimane said. “The European and South American formats are so much better because everything is running smoothly, but it’s very difficult to play in Africa.
But it had been clear before Saturday’s game that South Africa would have to win their final match at home over Sierra Leone irrespective of the outcome of the group’s other game in Cairo, where Niger eventually lost 3-0 to Egypt.
Mosimane was not the only one not to read the rules. The state-run African Broadcasting Corporation proclaimed qualification and the South African Football Association president Kirsten Nematandani went on to congratulate his team.
He and Mosimane now likely face calls to resign.
“Do you think I would have left [striker Lehlohonolo] Majoro on the bench and put on a midfielder if I knew that we needed a goal? It doesn’t make sense,” Mosimane said before trying to cover his tracks by criticising the regulations.
“Africa is a jungle, my friend,” Mosimane said. “The European and South American formats are so much better because everything is running smoothly, but it’s very difficult to play in Africa.
But it had been clear before Saturday’s game that South Africa would have to win their final match at home over Sierra Leone irrespective of the outcome of the group’s other game in Cairo, where Niger eventually lost 3-0 to Egypt.
Mosimane was not the only one not to read the rules. The state-run African Broadcasting Corporation proclaimed qualification and the South African Football Association president Kirsten Nematandani went on to congratulate his team.
He and Mosimane now likely face calls to resign.
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