Ronwen Williams reflects on Bafana Bafana's AFCON exit against Cameroon

Ronwen Williams stood as the embodiment of Bafana Bafana’s pain after their Africa Cup of Nations journey ended in the round of 16, the captain conceding that fine margins and fading defensive standards ultimately proved costly against Cameroon.

Bafana Bafana were widely viewed as one of the favourites ahead of the competition, buoyed by strong results over the past two years and a growing reputation for defensive solidity. 

While early performances raised concerns, belief returned as the group phase progressed — only for familiar shortcomings to resurface at the knockout stage against Cameroon.

“We are obviously disappointed because we had high hopes for ourselves,” Williams said. 

“We have to grow and learn and be better.”

Bafana’s start had suggested a team ready to take control. 

They pressed with intensity, moved the ball sharply and carved out clear chances inside the opening quarter of an hour — opportunities that could have altered the direction of the contest entirely.

“We started so well, created two or three clear cut chances,” Williams reflected. 

“And we need to work on our efficiency, that’s the difference at the high level. They got one or two chances and made sure they scored.”

That contrast would define the evening. While South Africa dominated territory and possession in spells, Cameroon waited patiently, capitalising on moments of hesitation and lapses in concentration — a hallmark of tournament football at its most ruthless.

Williams, who has become synonymous with Bafana’s defensive solidity in recent years, admitted the defeat was particularly difficult to accept given the standards the team has set for itself.

“But I’m proud of the boys, their fight and the effort,” he added. 

“But we have a lot to learn from this.”

The statistics underline his frustration. Bafana conceded six goals across four matches at this tournament — a rare occurrence for a side that has built its recent identity on structure, discipline and clean sheets.

“Yes I’m obviously disappointed,” Williams said.

“That (keeping clean sheets) has made us over the last few years. We pride ourselves on keeping clean sheets, we work very hard and want to defend well all the time.”

Against Cameroon, that foundation cracked. Set-pieces, second balls and moments of physical dominance swung the balance, forcing South Africa to chase the game rather than control it.

Williams did not shy away from the reality that without defensive resilience, results become harder to sustain.

“But it wasn’t meant to be,” he continued. “If you don’t keep clean sheets you can’t win games, but we just have to go back and realise what made us the team we have been in recent years.”

Despite the disappointment, the goalkeeper struck a tone of accountability rather than despair. 

The message was clear: the lessons from this AFCON exit must sharpen Bafana rather than scar them.

For Williams and his teammates, the challenge now is to reconnect with the fundamentals that brought consistency and belief — efficiency at one end, discipline at the other — knowing that at tournament level, moments decide outcomes.