Hard lessons at AFCON will forge a stronger Bafana, says midfielder Aubaas

Bafana Bafana midfielder Bathusi Aubaas believes the hard lessons of their early Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) exit will forge a stronger team, shaping their journey in tournaments yet to come.

The team’s campaign at this edition of AFCON ended in disappointment with a 2-1 defeat to Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions in the round of 16, extinguishing hopes of a long-awaited second title. South Africa had entered the tournament with high expectations, aiming to build on their third-place finish in the previous edition and, perhaps, go all the way.

Heading into the competition, the current squad drew frequent comparisons with the iconic class of 1996, but with some below-par performances in the group stages and ultimately the knockouts, that title-winning side remains the only South African team to have lifted the trophy and reached the final in the following edition.

Since then, Bafana have only managed to reach the highest of third place, extending a drought that has now stretched for 28 years. The next opportunity will come in 2027, with the tournament set to be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.

The current squad may not have matched the heights of 1996 and 1998, and their confidence took a hit as momentum stalled. But with the Fifa World Cup looming on the horizon, Hugo Broos and his Bafana side have little choice but to leave the disappointment behind and focus fully on the global stage.

The defeat also marked the end of a highly successful two-year period—that included a bronze medal at the previous AFCON and an impressive World Cup qualification campaign.

Reflecting on their loss, Aubaas admits the team had to learn the hard way, with several missed opportunities costing them a place in the quarter-finals.

“The boys fought really hard, but obviously it was not the result we wanted as a country. We will do better next time,” Aubaas said on the team’s arrival at OR Tambo International Airport. “We are very disappointed to have been knocked out in the round of 16. We wanted to push harder to reach the next round, but unfortunately it wasn’t to be.”

South Africa secured two wins in the group stages, defeating Angola (2-1) and Zimbabwe (3-2), with their only loss coming against Egypt (1-0). Bafana went into the round-of-16 clash against Cameroon with their destiny firmly in their own hands, but the defeat proved costly, denying them the opportunity to test themselves in the tournament’s more demanding later rounds to gain preparation for the World Cup.

Aubaas, who largely came off the bench in the tournament but was trusted with a start in the final match, believes the lessons from this disappointment will serve the team well, even at the World Cup.

“It was a learning curve and a lesson. We had a lot of chances that we didn’t convert, while they only had two chances and scored. In the next tournament, we need to ensure we convert our opportunities so we can progress further,” he said. “Other than that, everyone who was there gave their best, and all I can do is thank the fans for their support.”