It was a case of the more things change the more they stay the same for Bafana Bafana when the chances they created were not converted as Hugo Broos's men began their 2020 Fifa World Cup qualification with a goalless draw away to Zimbabwe.
Neither of Evidence Makgopa, Tebogo Mokoena, Percy Tau or Bongokuhle Hlongwane found the net when moments to hurt Zimbabwe presented themselves, forcing SA to settle for a point.
It is a situation Bafana need to correct pronto to get maximum points against the Black Stars of Ghana in their second Group G qualifier at the FNB Stadium tomorrow.
Ghana sit on the summit of the four-team group after a 37m first-half stunner by Mubarak Wakaso was enough to edge out Ethiopia.
Failure to convert is cause for concern for Broos, a weakness he is alive to as the Belgian conceded that the offensive play was not at the requisite standard.
"Defensively I think it was all right, we didn't give too many chances to Zimbabwe because the defence was there and I am happy about that. But at the other side of the field you have to score goals to win games and we were not good offensively.
"We must work on that in the coming week and months because to win matches you have to score. This was for us a problem because at this level we have to be more dangerous.
"Sometimes we have to move more quickly to get to the other side of the field and give the opponent problems.
"These are some of the things that we have to work on and at the moment we have two days to work until the next match. It will not be okay immediately but we need some time to work on things that didn't work properly for us."
Mokoena and Mthobi Mvala will have to be more cohesive and combative in midfield to dim the light of the Black Stars.
The centreback pairing of Rushine de Reuck and Siyanda Xulu must leave little room for error against an attack that will be an upgrade from what they had before them on Friday.
One major positive for Bafana in Harare was the introduction of Hlongwane. It injected the desired impact on their forays into enemy territory. The 21-year-old Maritzburg player set off on a blistering run on the right and let loose a shot that looked to be giving Bafana the lead.
Talbert Shumba parried with a not-too- strong block but it was good enough to slow the pace of the ball to allow Takudzwa Chimwemwe to clear off the line.
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