Bafana Bafana looking for redemption against DR Congo
Siyanda Xulu will be proud of South Africa’s “dream” Africa Cup of Nations campaign no matter what happens in its third-place play-off with DR Congo on Sunday (AEDT).
Bafana Bafana will go head-to-head with the Leopards in Abidjan with a bronze medal at stake, disappointed not to have made it to the final but happy to have come so close.
Hugo Broos’s men made it to within touching distance of the showcase game before eventually going down 4-2 on penalties to Nigeria after a 1-1 extra-time draw in the semi-finals.
Defender Xulu said: “We had our own goal as a team. We wanted to go as far as we could.
“We know very well of our quality and especially from the coach who is one person who has always believed in us as a team.
“To go this far was our objective. Reaching the semi-final is a dream. Yes, we wanted to take it home, but we couldn’t, but we can be proud of the performance.”
South Africa’s campaign started in unpromising fashion when it went down 2-0 to Mali in its opening game, but it emerged from Group E as runner-up and dispensed with FIFA World Cup semi-finalist Morocco and also Cape Verde before meeting its match in Nigeria.
Broos admitted the game would represent a mental battle for both teams.
He said: “We played a very good game against Nigeria. It was a great performance and we showed that we are a great team again.
“When you exit after 120 minutes, it’s always a huge disappointment. When you play so well, the disappointment is so big.
“The game tomorrow is special. It depends a bit on which team will be mentally recovered because also for DRC, it was difficult to lose like that.”
DR Congo’s chances of making it to the final were ended by a 1-0 defeat by host Cote d'Ivoire, and it will head into the play-off having won only one of the six games it has played to date inside 90 minutes after drawing all three of its Group F Fixtures and beating Egypt on penalties in the Round of 16.
Defender Dylan Batubinsika said: “We have a mixture of feelings with the elimination, but our ambition is to go and get this medal.
“We have to stay mobilised to at least finish in third place.”
