Pitso Mosimane’s Bafana Bafana revival began with promise before 2012 collapse

Pitso Mosimane’s first spell in charge of Bafana Bafana ended in disappointment, but his early record suggested South Africa had appointed a coach capable of rebuilding the national team after the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Mosimane took over with the task of creating a new Bafana side and initially made a positive impression. The team produced several important results, raising hopes that South Africa could move in a new direction under the coach known as Jingles.

Strong beginning for Mosimane

According to Transfermarkt, Mosimane recorded six wins, eight draws and three defeats during his first stint as South Africa coach.

Among his most notable early results was a 1-0 victory over Ghana. Bafana then secured another significant win against Egypt, defeating the Pharaohs 1-0 in the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.

South Africa also held Egypt to a goalless draw in Cairo. That result added to the belief that Mosimane was building a side capable of competing against major teams on the continent.

The results provided a solid platform, although consistency would later become a problem for Bafana.

Qualification setback ends first spell

The turning point came in the build-up to South Africa’s final AFCON qualifier against Sierra Leone.

Bafana were held to a 0-0 draw and initially thought the result had secured their place in the competition. However, they later discovered that they had not qualified because of the head-to-head rules.

The failure to progress brought intense disappointment and increased pressure on Mosimane. He was eventually dismissed in June 2012, bringing his first period as national team coach to an end.

Career transformed after departure

Mosimane’s career developed significantly after leaving the national team. He guided Mamelodi Sundowns to the CAF Champions League title and later won the competition twice with Al Ahly. He also added several league titles to his record.

His achievements subsequently extended to the Gulf region, where he further strengthened his reputation. Those successes made him the most successful South African coach in terms of major continental honours.

The coach now returning to the national team is therefore a more experienced figure than the one who departed in 2012. His first major assignment will be to guide Bafana Bafana through the 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign.

That challenge will test the progress he has made since his first spell, when promising victories over Ghana and Egypt were followed by a qualification failure that ultimately cost him his job.