By: Sibusiso Zindela

South Africans have slammed the recent perfomance by the national team as they continue fumbling in competitive matches.

After Bafana Bafana’s loss to Mauritania and the team’s poor performance lately, supporters have showed little gratitude with the team’s win of the Nelson Mandela Challenge.  Fans
downplayed the win as it was a friendly match that meant nothing in Fifa rankings.

Siyanda Shabalala, a sports fanatic, said that Bafana Bafana plays like amateurs.

“The problem with Bafana is that our national players do not have any national pride.

They also play like amateurs,” said Shabalala.

Some fans have been lamenting lack of consistency in the coach’s selection of players.

The team does not have a captain, Mashaba rotates the armband and has since given eight players to lead the team.

According to 19-year-old soccer player from uMlazi, Simiso Cwele, Bafana has a dim future.

“There will be no national soccer team in the next five years if Bafana Bafana continues to play like a high school team,” said Cwele

Sport analyst for Ukhozi FM and Durban University of Technology’s Soccer Coach, Bongani Yengwa, said that Bafana players must unite and work together as a team and not play as
individuals.

“Bafana Bafana has some of the best players in the country and they could win more games if they work together as a team.

They should forget that they playing for different teams.  It should not matter which team you play for, they must work together,” said Yengwa.

Bafana Bafana’s winning of the Nelson Mandela Challenge does not seem to have changed people’s mind

“Even though Bafana won the match beating Senegal, their game possession was very poor.

They were just lucky they scored that one goal,” said 31-year-old supporter, Sipho Msomi.