Bafana Bafana get their mojo back

26 June 2016 - 02:01 By Marc Strydom

The Bafana Bafana shadow Olympic team got the workout they wanted from a keyed-up Botswana, and a morale-boosting fourth Cosafa Cup trophy too. This was the match of the tournament. Botswana fought for everything. Bafana were focused like it was their first match of Rio 2016.Onkabetse Makgantai's 16th-minute chip put The Zebras in front. Gift Motupa's 33rd-minute penalty and substitute Thabiso Kutumela's goal (66th) put Bafana back ahead.But a Reyaad Pieterse goalkeeping error let in Kabelo Seakanyeng's free-kick three minutes later. Motupa then scored an 88th-minute second penalty after a Botswana player handled the ball in the 18-yard box.There have been tensions in the coaching staff. This team came under the banner of Bafana Bafana, so Ephraim "Shakes" Mashaba naturally acted as head coach.South Africa Under-23 head coach Owen da Gama has supposedly been joint coach. The two have not always agreed on team selections. There have been strange starting lineups. To his credit, Mashaba's substitutions worked well.The Sunday Times and Sunday World understand that Gerald Don, South African Football Association's head of delegation, held a meeting with Mashaba and Da Gama on Friday to ask for unity, because players were somewhat getting confused.story_article_left1Complications aside, though, this was a worthy exercise for the Under-23s preparing for the Olympic Games in Brazil in August - making Mashaba's sulks about not bringing a senior team quite confusing.They have seen some good players - Tebogo Moerane, Deolin Mekoa, Lebogang Phiri, Menzi Masuku, Gift Motupa. Add the three overage players, plus Keagan Dolly, Phumlani Ntshangase and Lebogang Mothiba, and South Africa have a team for Rio.Bafana started with their strongest lineup, with no players out of position, and by far their best shape.But talented 20-year-old forward Makgantai produced a chip out of nowhere that drifted perfectly over Pieterse. Bafana fought back - Judas Moseamedi went down and Bafana had a penalty, which Motupa rolled past goalkeeper Mwampole Masule.Botswana midfielder Lesego Galenamotlhale slammed a volley onto the crossbar after the break.Masuku put through Phiri, whose attempt was deflected by Masule to Kutumela to finish into an open goal.But then Pieterse let a free-kick by Seakanyeng in through his fists.It seemed justice when Mosha Gaolalwe handled the ball, and striker Motupa scored a second penalty...

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