May Tseka's goofy shenanigans not implode Bafana

Four points from six is a significant return from Bafana Bafana heading to the final two rounds on the road to the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

October will be a mammoth month for Hugo Broos and his men when they’ll play the last two matches of a marathon qualifying campaign that began with a 2-0 beating of Benin at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in November 2023.

Last week’s 3-0 defeat of Lesotho, coupled with Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with Nigeria, saw South Africa surge a step closer to sealing qualification for the quadrennial competition in a bid to abolish a 23-year absence from the football festival.

Nah, bud, nothing wrong with my math. Of course, it’s 15 years, when you consider that host status secured our participation on home soil in 2010. Reaching the 2026 edition will be the first proper qualification attained through blood and sweat since the 2002 version in South Korea and Japan. 

The draw, which the not-so-Super Eagles achieved thanks to a handball goal entrenched our pole place atop group C. With their 4-0 thumping of Lesotho, Benin strengthened their grip on second spot. The Cheetahs are breathing heavily on Bafana’s neck, three points away from the leaders who are on 17 in a race Broos’s men had set the pace for at a healthy rate.

Position suddenly perilous

Though we will enter October with our fate firmly in our hands, danger lurks. Our commanding position has suddenly become perilous. Nothing but victory away to the Zim Warriors and Rwanda’s Amavubi (Wasps) could guarantee a trip to North America.

A first-place finish, which assures automatic qualification, is no longer a certainty if Fifa’s disciplinary committee decides against Bafana for fielding Teboho Mokoena — who was ineligible to play — in the first match against Lesotho in March.

Uncertain because, if before October Fifa sticks to the letter of the law — as it should — South Africa will pay a heavy penalty. Bafana will be docked three points, which will go to Lesotho, leaving Bafana level with Benin on 14 points. And if Benin beat Rwanda and Nigeria, and Bafana loses against Zimbabwe and beats Rwanda, Bafana run the risk of slipping to second.  

That spot will see them falling among the four best runners-up from the nine groups, booking a berth in an arduous Caf qualifying group whose winner will progress to Fifa intercontinental playoffs. The winner of the playoffs will finally qualify for the 2026 finals.

You got tired just by reading that? Writing it left me panting. Imagine how arduous a task it will be for the team.

For some strange reason, Fifa has dragged its feet in deciding on Mokoena’s ineligibility, fuelling suspicion of chicanery being cooked to potentially benefit Bafana.

Jobs for pals

Lest we forget, automatic qualification is at risk because Vincent Tseka mismanaged his Bafana team manager job when he failed to flag the fact that Mokoena was suspended for the Lesotho game. Because of weak consequence management at the South African Football Association, Tseka is cushioned in his comfy gig.

Jobs for pals? Never at Safa, that bastion of administrative excellence. Ahem.

The irony is that the wonderful work the boys have delivered on the pitch could be sabotaged by a dereliction of duty by a man whose name originates from the Latin word vincere. It means to conquer. Conquer they have, losing only one match away to Rwanda in what has otherwise been a gallant effort. But their gallantry could be undermined by an enemy from within.

Tseka’s transgression is a ticking time bomb that may implode Bafana’s brilliance. For all intents and purposes, Bafana have been conquering and victorious on the field, as the upward movement in the Caf and Fifa rankings attest.

One of our own could be the villain responsible for preventing our progress. We live in hope that Bafana will maintain momentum and remain steadfast in what has thus far been a stoic march in pursuit of earning a deserved place to compete among the best 48 nations.

Tseka’s goofy shenanigans notwithstanding.