Despite a stunning 4-0 away victory for the South Africans over Gambia – the side’s biggest away win since 1992 – South Africa failed to qualify for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament in this week’s qualifiers. South Africa was pushed out as Cameroon topped Group M to snatch automatic qualification.
Bafana’s disappointing qualifying campaign included two draws against the Indomitable Lions, a 3-1 loss away to Mauritania and a goalless stalemate against Gambia at home.
This string of poor results have thrust coach Shakes Mashaba’s job into the spotlight, and he now faces an official review in September, following a final match at home against Mauritania where even victory will be meaningless in terms of qualification for AFCON 17.
South African Football Association president Dr Danny Jordan was quoted as saying: ‘What we have to do now is to wait for the final match and then there will be a review of the entire competition of AFCON and then we have to see what is the adjustment, in which areas must we change and strengthen.’
Mashaba who was appointed Bafana coach in July 2014, taking over from former tactician Gordon Igesund, is now facing an uphill struggle to save his job. As Banana’s fan hope for a lenient draw for South Africa’s 2018 World Cup qualification campaign on June 24th, Mashaba will be hoping he still has a job when the qualifying games start in October.