On the Mark !!!
There was a sense of déjà vu about Tuesday night’s game in Korhogo as South Africa went down to Mali in their Africa Cup of Nations opener. The west Africans have become something of bogey side for Bafana Bafana and the 2-0 win in both countries’ opening Group E game means that Hugo Broos’ side now have their backs to the wall.
The game scenario played out almost exactly as it had when the two countries met at the same tournament more than two decades ago.
I was also in Kayes, a dusty town not dissimilar to Korhogo on the fringes of the Sahara, for the 2002 quarterfinal as South Africa were pitted against the home nation. Mali were then nervy under a burden of home expectation and, resultantly, swept off the park in the first half as South Africa dominated the game, with Eric Tinkler a colossus in the midfield. Much the same as Tuesday night in Korhogo, where South Africa dominated possession in the first half and looked as if they would go on and win.
In Kayes it all came crashing down around the hour mark, just as it did this time round.
Then, Mali scored and went onto add a late second to advance to the semis and send South Africa home, ending the tenure of then coach Carlos Queiroz. I was hoping it would not be a similar defeat again but Mali outmuscled Bafana after the break and did the business to start the tournament in the Ivory Coast in style.
Mali were also the side that edged Bafana in 2013 when South Africa last hosted the finals. On that occasion, it was a defeat in the quarterfinal in Durban in a languid match which ended 1-1 after extra time and then saw South Africa miss three of their four penalties in the post-match shootout.
A missed penalty from Percy Tau proved costly this time round. There is no
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