Nhlakanipho Mnqayi
IBAFANA BAFANA elale isithathu kwi-Africa Cup Of Nations (Afcon) yabuya nendondo yethusi e-Ivory Coast, ikhuphukele endaweni engconywana ezilinganisweni zeConfederation of African Football (CAF) neze-Federation International Football Association (Fifa).
Ukwenza kahle kweBafana kubonakale njengoba yaguqisa iMorocco eyayibhekwe ngabaningi emva kokuthi yenze kahle eNdebeni yoMhlaba ayayibanjelwe e-Qatar ngo-2022 lapho abakhishwa khona emdlalweni wama-quaterfinal.
Abaningi bebengayithembi iBafana njengoba bebethi izosheshe ibuye kulo mqhudelwano emva kokuthi yavula ngesibhaxu sika 2-0 idliwa yiMali. Kodwa-ke akubanga kanjalo njengoba yazithintitha yahamba yaze yayoguqiswa i-Nigeria kowandulela owamanqamu sekukhahlelwa amaphenathi.
Ngokudlala kahle kweBafana, ithole indondo yethusi okokuqala emva kweminyaka engu-24 yagcina ukwenza kahle kulo mqhudelwano. Elakuleli selokhu lagcina ngo-2000 ngesikhathi i-Afcon isingethwe yi-Nigeria neGhana. Nalapho yaqeda endaweni yesithathu. Ngakho-ke, iBafana ithole amaphuzu angu-52 okusho ukuthi ikhuphukele kunombolo-59, isuka kunombolo-66 emhlabeni. Lapha e-Africa ikhuphukele endaweni ka-10. IBafana ingene emazweni aphezulu angu-10 e-Afrika, kwaphuma iGhana egoduke ekuseni kwi-Afcon.
IBafana yamukelwe njengamaqhawe yizinkumbi zabalandeli ngesikhathi itheleka esikhumulweni sezindiza, i-OR Tambo International ngoLwesithathu ezintatha.
Abafana bakaHugo Broos sebebheke emidlalweni yokuhlungela eyoMhlaba ka-2026 lapho bezobhekana khona ne-Nigeria ngoJuni 3. Ngaphambi kokuthi baye lapho, bazodlala imidlalo emibili yobungani ne-Andorra ngoMashi 21 ne-Algeria ngoMashi 26.
UBroos kulindeleke ukuthi anike abanye abadlali ithuba lokuzibonakalisa, baphinde bagcine umgqigqo wokwenza kahle.
Nanka amazwe ayishumi ngokohlu lwe- CAF lapha e-Africa:
1. Morocco
2. Senegal
3. Nigeria
4. Egypt
5. Cote d'Ivoire
6. Tunisia
7. Algeria
8. Mali
9. Cameroon
10. South Africa