This Sunday, the “Bafana Bafana” failed to qualify for the next African Cup of Nations. South Africa fails once again in the qualifiers.
The happiness of the Sudanese is the misfortune of the South Africans. At the end of a decisive match, in Omdurman in Sudan, the “Bafana Bafana” fell 2 goals to 0. A result which eliminates them from the next African Cup of Nations (CAN) which is to be played in 2021 in Cameroon . Sudan is jubilant, he who had not participated in the competition since 2012. For South Africans, on the other hand, history repeats itself over and over again.
If, with 10 participations in the final phase of the African Cup of Nations, South Africa is far from the 25 Egyptian participations, the country remains however a regular at the tournament. In 1996, the players of Clive William Barker had even imposed themselves at home.
The common history of CAN and South Africa has been littered with ups and downs. It is also in Sudan that the very first CAN took place, in 1957. South Africa, which co-founded the African Football Confederation with Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan, is directly qualified. for competition.
Prohibited from participation due to apartheid
Refusing to send a mixed team, South Africa will ultimately not have the right to participate in this first CAN and will have to wait until the 1990s to have the right to take part in the competition again. It was in 1996 that the country, by becoming host country of the CAN, can finally taste the joys of the Cup. He even won the winner's trophy.
After a final and a third place in the four years which follow this coronation, South Africa generates memorable performances. But in 2010 and 2012, the “Bafana Bafana” were eliminated in the preliminary round. In 2017, rebelote.
After a CAN quarter-final in 2019, South Africa fails to regain the competition. The "Bafana Bafana", after another defeat against Sudan, can only blame themselves: they have won only three times in six games, and finish third in their group, behind Ghana and Sudan, just ahead. the modest players of Sao Tome and Principe.