Baxter: Bafana weren’t brave enough

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Stuart Baxter head coach of Bafana Bafana

Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter says he is disappointed with the result against Nigeria following their 1-1 draw in their penultimate Afcon qualifer at the FNB Stadium on Saturday.

The South African national team will now have to wait until their final Group E encounter against Libya to qualify for next year’s African Cup of Nations.

The draw sees South African remain second in the group with nine points after five games, while the Super Eagles booked their place in the 2019 Afcon after topping the group with one game left to play.

Baxter says he is disappointed and proud of his squad following their showing against Nigeria, but will now turn their attention to their final Group E encounter against Libya.

‘I’m disappointed a little bit and I’m proud a little bit. We’ve taken four points off the Super Eagles and the only goal we’ve conceded so far in the tournament is an own goal,’ Baxter told SuperSport TV after the match.

‘I’m disappointed that we weren’t braver, we said at half time we give them problems when we get through and get our movements, we run people away and challenge them one-vs-one.

‘And in the second half we started to go long. We started to go really long and that’s a sign of nerves that we don’t want to concede.

‘I want a good run and delivery but not just hook it over the defence. Even the problems we gave them in the second half were the same, combinations. I’m little bit disappointed but the fight goes on.’

The Bafana mentor also give his insight on Thulani Serero’s performance following his lengthy absence from the national team setup.

‘It was a big one for Thulani [Serero] to come in because we didn’t have him in the game the way we wanted,’ he added.

‘So I changed him and put Percy [Tau] as a [number] ten. We pulled [Thembinkosi] Lorch as a winger.

‘It didn’t come out the way I wanted. I wanted play in between so the runs could come.’