Bafana Bafana seek to plug defensive gaps ahead of Cameroon clash

Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Ricardo Goss admits South Africa’s defensive record at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) has been a concern but says the team is determined to tighten up ahead of their last-16 clash with Cameroon at the Agdal Medina Stadium on Sunday night (9pm kick-off).

Under head coach Hugo Broos, Bafana continue their pursuit of new milestones, building steadily on the progress forged over the past two years. 

The quarter-finals are once again within touching distance, but blocking the path is an Indomitable Lions side steeped in pedigree and renowned for coming alive when the stakes are highest.

South Africa’s road to the knockout stages has been anything but smooth. The group phase offered moments of promise without sustained fluency , yet they found a way to do just enough when it mattered most.

The pause between the group stage and the round of 16 has afforded Broos a crucial window to fine-tune his side, with defensive solidity high on the agenda. 

While Bafana ranked among the tournament’s most productive attacking teams, finishing with the joint third-highest goal return, they also carried the unwanted distinction of the weakest defensive record among those to progress — an imbalance Broos and his technical team will be keen to address.

Goss believes that as the tournament reaches its decisive phase and the margins become finer, facing tough opponents is a given and defensive discipline will play a crucial role in determining how far they can go.

“We set high standards and we didn't want to lose against Egypt,” Goss said ahead of the match.

“One of the main things we spoke about was that we have conceded in every game, which is unlike the last AFCON.

“We were disappointed with the way the result came in the game against Egypt, but we know what we can do and what we are good at, and going forward we will be stingy with goals again.

“We have seen that there is no easy team at this AFCON. Cameroon is a very good side, and our was the most difficult group. We expected to face any team, and we are happy we got Cameroon—it's going to be a good game.”

South Africa will draw confidence from their recent AFCON history, having eliminated Morocco with a 2–0 victory in the round of 16 at the previous tournament.

Should South Africa progress, a potential meeting with the hosts remains on the horizon, adding another layer of intrigue to an already demanding knockout path. Goss admits such a scenario would come with added significance, given the history and expectations surrounding both sides.

“It would be a difficult one because I know that they really want to play against us at some stage and we couldn't play—I know they really want us,” Goss continued.

“It would be a really nice game, and the people are supporting and really like us because I think we surprised them at the last AFCON.

“Everyone is saying that we are one of the favourites, but all the big teams have made it out of their groups. I wouldn't say that makes us the favourites, and surely we are not number one on that list. We are just going to see how far we can get.”