Genie Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 Blundering South Africa miss out on Africa Cup of Nations A little more than a year after hosting a successful World Cup, South Africa woke up with a giant hangover after a failure to understand the rules saw them miss out on qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations. Coach Pitso Mosimane admitted he had changed tactics and played for a draw in Saturday's final qualifier at home to Sierra Leone, thinking it was enough to win the group and qualify for the 2012 finals. However, South Africa actually needed a win to avoid being eliminated on head-to-head results between the three teams tied at the top of the table, but no one appeared to have studied the regulations correctly. Despite playing out the draw, they were pipped by outsiders Niger, who qualified for the first time. More embarrassingly, the Bafana Bafana celebrated their supposed qualification at the end of the scoreless stalemate in Nelspruit , thinking they had done enough to advance to next year's finals co-hosted by Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. "It's very sad for South Africa because the country deserves to be in next year's Nations Cup. I feel like I have failed," Mosimane told reporters. The coach, who took over after the World Cup, was under the impression that goal difference was the determining factor to decide the group winners and when he was told that leaders Niger were losing in Egypt, he changed tactics and settle for a draw. Niger had led South Africa by a point going into the final round of qualifiers on Saturday. "Do you think I would have left (striker Lehlohonolo) Majoro on the bench and put on a midfielder if I knew that we needed a goal? It doesn't make sense," Mosimane said, before criticising the regulations. "Africa is a jungle, my friend," Mosimane added. "The European and South American formats are so much better because everything is running smoothly, but it's very difficult to play in Africa". However, Mosimane was not the only one to fall foul of a misreading of the rules. The state-run African Broadcasting Corporation proclaimed qualification and the South African Football Association president Kirsten Nematandani even went on television to congratulate the team. Puts Englands 'problems' into perspective Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theunderstudy Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 Baad weekind there bru. Little sympathy for the South Africans, you've got to be idiots to not study the rules properly, especially when tied on points. And playing for a draw at home to Sierra Leone!? Wtf!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 not first tiem they **** up in sport. THey made a balls of Duckworth ELwis in 2003 World Cup Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomzep Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Its the lap of honour that I love. I bet there was some 12 year football geek somewhere in the crowd tugging on his dads shirt going 'Dad i dont think we have qualified check the rules...' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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