adminAfrican Cup of Nations soccer finals.
Technically, Bafana Bafana finished top of Group G with a better goal difference to Niger and Sierra Leone, after all three teams finished on nine points, but in accordance with the Caf rules in the qualifying process for the 2012 African Cup of Nations, Niger qualified for the final phase by virtue of a better head-to-head record, having beaten South Africa and Sierra Leone.
“South Africa deserved to go to the African Cup of Nations and I feel like I failed South Africa . . . I don’t feel good hey and it is not good for me.
“It comes into my profile that Pitso didn’t help Bafana Bafana, because we failed to qualify under my leadership, irrespective of what rule says what,” Mosimane says.
“Jingles” says it didn’t matter how Bafana played on the day as his focus was on sealing qualification.
“The short-term vision was to qualify for the 2012 African Cup of Nations and today (Saturday) I didn’t want to play very well, I wanted to qualify so I played to qualify,” he says.
Mosimane admits that at the back of his mind a draw would be enough and was stumped in the dressing room when Caf put a spanner in the works by revealing that Niger qualified instead.
“I gave it my best. I even warmed up Bongani Khumalo at some stage (thinking a goalless draw would be enough) because I wanted to take this home. It is sad, it is very sad for South Africa,” he adds. – Kickoff.com.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter