Gayton McKenzie, South Africa‘s outspoken Sports, Arts & Culture Minister, slammed the team’s missed chances in their 2-1 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) last 16 loss to Cameroon in Rabat on Sunday.
McKenzie was in attendance at the Agdal Medina Stadium, draped in a South African flag, and expressed confidence before the game that Hugo Broos’ side would emerge victorious. However, he was highly critical of the team’s finishing in his post-match social media comments.
“Missing a clear goal is understandable but missing multiple clear goals is inexcusable at this level. Bafana Bafana should have wrapped this game up in the first half. We still love you boys but learn from this [because you are] going to a bigger stage soon,” McKenzie wrote on X after the match.
Editor’s Picks
2 Related
McKenzie is not the first sports minister to criticise Bafana Bafana. Fikile Mbalula famously called the team “a bunch of losers” following their poor showing at the 2014 African Nations Championship (CHAN).
McKenzie’s comments are unlikely to cause quite the same furore as those from Mbalula – particularly as they are not too dissimilar to head coach Hugo Broos’s post-match reaction.
“I think we had the right plan and everyone saw that. We had three open chances in the first half and normally the game has to be done then but when you miss those chances at that level, you pay the bill later. We paid the bill (by conceding) with a lucky goal,” Broos said in the press conference after the defeat.
Gayton McKenzie, South Africa’s minister for sports, arts, and culture, is a passionate sports fan, and is never shy to praise, or criticise, the national teams. Oupa Bopape/Gallo Images via Getty Images
McKenzie has often praised head coach Hugo Broos on social media. However, has also often weighed in on the team’s setbacks on and off the field – and was initially highly critical of the South African Football Association (SAFA) after the incident which saw Bafana docked three points in FIFA World Cup qualifying for the fielding of the ineligible Teboho Mokoena.
The minister later publicly accepted the organisation’s explanation that team manager Vincent Tseka had missed Mokoena’s booking which led to his suspension as he was busy fetching ice at the time it was incurred.
Bafana managed to qualify for the tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico despite the setback and after they missed out on the last eight at AFCON, they will turn their attention to the global showpiece from June 11 – July 19.