Namibia captain Shalulile shoulders blame after Bafana hammering
Namibia’s AFCON campaign took a heavy blow with a 4-0 thrashing at the hands of South Africa in Group E, and captain Peter Shalulile has stepped up to take responsibility and rally his troops for the upcoming clash against Mali.
The Brave Warriors had started off on a high note, edging Tunisia 1-0 in an exciting opening Group E.
But the Namibians capitulated when they met a determined Bafana Bafana side. Shalulile is yet to open his scoring account at AFCON 2023 and was unable to help the Brave Warriors on Sunday night.
The Southern African nation Namibia sits in third place in Group E, with Mali at the top and Bafana second. They could still qualify for the round of 16, depending on their result and that of the Bafana-Tunisia tie.
WHAT PETER SHALULILE SAID ABOUT THE AFCON HAMMERING
He has since taken responsibility for the humiliating result, insisting it is the mark of a leader to do so.
“I take responsibility for the loss today,” Shalulile told FARPost. “I’ve got to take ownership.” He acknowledged the team’s effort but credited South Africa’s deserved victory. “I wouldn’t say we didn’t show up as a team. It was a tough game, but credit goes to them because they won.”
Instead of dwelling on the past, Shalulile focuses on the next assignment on Wednesday in San Pedro.
“For us, we go to the drawing board to fix what we didn’t do and focus on Mali,” he stated. The Mamelodi Sundowns forward said the early penalty conceded, while debatable, fueled South Africa’s momentum.
“The approach was fine, the early penalty, who am I to say it was not a penalty? But that gave them the energy to keep on going.”
Despite the setback, Shalulile’s unwavering spirit shines through. “As a team, we will take it and move on to the next one, which is Mali.”
‘Sha-sha’ commends the team’s effort but concedes Bafana were a few strides ahead. “They did their best, and we tried; we give them credit for winning.”
As they turn their attention to Mali for a decisive encounter, his leadership will be crucial in galvanising the team and seeking redemption on the pitch.
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