Former Bafana Bafana striker Bernard Parker has weighed in on the national team’s overall performance at the ongoing 2023 AFCON finals in Ivory Coast, stating that: “South African football looks promising”.
Bafana has enjoyed an amazing run in the tournament, defying odds as they reached the semi-finals for the first time in 24 years. They suffered defeat in the semis at the hands of Nigeria, who will take on hosts Ivory Coast in the final on Sunday.
On their way to the last four, they beat Cape Verde, Namibia and avoided defeat against two North African giants in Tunisia [draw] and Morocco [win].
An interesting fact about the 1996 African champions is that their 23-man squad is largely dominated by local-based players. The stars play their club football in the DStv Premiership.
Only three players, namely Sphephelo Sithole, Percy Tau and Mihlali Mayambela, are based outside the country.
BERNARD PARKER ON BAFANA BAFANA’S PERFORMANCE AT AFCON
The veteran striker is very proud and satisfied with the national team’s performance under the guidance of Belgian mentor Hugo Broos. However, Parker is of the view that Bafana could have done better to reach the final of the 2023 AFCON.
“It’s a good fight that they fought. And I’m sure it’s a good sign for us, seeing that South African football looks promising,” Parker said on his Instagram account.
“Us [SA] being knocked out by Nigeria [was sad], knowing that we could have overcome them, but we did not. I’m extremely proud of the boys for how far they have come.”
Hugo Broos’s charges still have a great chance of redeeming their campaign and making it more successful.
On Saturday, 10 February, SA will lock horns against other semi-finalists, DR Congo, in the third-place/fourth-place finish showdown.
The two sides will take it to the field of play, eyeing nothing other than the bronze medal at Stade Felix Houphouet Boigny. Kickoff is set for 22:00 [SA time].
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