Talk about an important Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier win influenced by the unlikeliest of sources.
The Pitso Mosimane era started with a determined 2-1 win over Guinea that was secured through goals from defenders Ime Okon and Samukele Kabini, as the national team continues to win the hearts of the nation.
Not many people would have predicted Okon and Kabini as match winners, but they played that crucial role with the most telling contributions as South Africa went top of Group D with three points.
Bafana have a good chance of taking full control of the group on Wednesday if they get three more points in Egypt against Eritrea, who held Afcon co-hosts Kenya to a 1-1 draw in the other match.
Though Okon and Kabini got the goals in either half, this was a polished team performance by Bafana in front of a lively Orlando Stadium crowd and there is reason to be hopeful for the future.
In the first starting line-up on his return to the senior national team, coach Mosimane did not stray too far from that of Hugo Broos’s last match at the 2026 Fifa World Cup against Canada in Los Angeles.
There were only three changes from that heartbreaking loss in California, with Olwethu Makhanya and Kamogelo Sebelebele in defence and Iqraam Rayners included in the attack starting line-up.
Makhanya and Sebelebele replaced Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Khuliso Mudau, who were not considered because of injuries, while Rayners came in for Evidence Makgopa, who also had fitness issues.
Ronwen Williams kept his place between the sticks and the armband and Mosimane installed Aubrey Modiba, Selebelebele, Makhanya and Okon as he went with a flat back four.
Selebelebele was troubled by Guinea attacker Aliou Balde during the opening minutes but recovered adequately to give a solid shift in the right back slot in the absence of regular starter Mudau.
Mosimane went with Teboho Mokoena and Sphephelo Sithole as his holding defensive pairing, and they were immense against a strong opposition pairing.
There were no surprises as Mosimane went with Oswin Appollis, Thapelo Maseko, and Relebohile Mofokeng as his attackers and Rayners as the lone striker.
Appollis and Maseko were employed on the right and left wings respectively, while Mofokeng was used as a playmaker to create chances for Rayners, who was started ahead of Cassius Mailula, Yanela Mbuthuma and Luther Singh.
Mofokeng had good moments on the ball and on the attack despite attention from Ousmane Diakite, who marked him closely, but he won most of their battles.
Bafana started the better side, with Maseko, Appollis, Mofokeng and Rayners putting the Guinea defence of Saidou Sow and Aboubaker Keita under pressure, but they could not find their way past goalkeeper Soumalia Sylla.
Bafana enjoyed the early dominance because Mokoena and Sithole got the better of Lancinet Kourouma and Seydouba Cisse in the heart of the midfield, and this sparked a strong reaction from unhappy coach Paulo Duarte, who was animated on the bench.
Guinea’s first real chance came after nine minutes when Balde was denied by Williams after he got the better of Modiba as they found themselves in the South African box.
Minutes later, Mofokeng wasted a golden opportunity to open the scoring when he failed to find the back of the net from inside the box after the Guinea defence failed to clear the danger.
After persisting on the attack, Bafana were finally rewarded with the opener after 31 minutes when Okon blasted the ball into the empty net from close range after they failed to deal with a corner kick.
Bafana were on the up after the goal, but Maseko wasted another good opportunity after 36 minutes when a pass from the midfield broke the Guinea defensive line.
There was a serious worry after 55 minutes when Modiba wobbled off the field and was replaced by Kabini, who went on to make a massive impact with the winning goal.
There was a heartwarming moment in the 68th minute when Orlando Pirates striker Mbuthuma, who has been under a torrent of ridicule from football supporters, was introduced and the crowd sang his name and he went on to provide an assist.
One of his first tasks was to defend a free kick with his defence but they did not do a good job as they were breached by Seydouba Cisse pouncing from close range for the equaliser to silence the crowd.
But Bafana were not finished as Mbuthuma laid the ball for Kabini and he put it past an advancing Sylla as Bafana roared back into the match and held on for the remainder of the match to get their Afcon campaign off the ground with a home win.
This was Bafana’s second win of the year after losses to Cameroon at Afcon in Morocco in January and Mexico and Canada and a draw with Czechia at the World Cup.
Their other win was over South Korea in Monterrey during the World Cup, which propelled them to the knockout stages of the World Cup. - TimesLIVE