Mosimane urges Bafana Bafana to protect Africa Cup of Nations qualifying lead

Pitso Mosimane has warned South Africa that maintaining top spot in Group D must remain the priority as Bafana Bafana continue their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.

South Africa opened the qualifiers with consecutive victories over Guinea and Eritrea and currently lead the group by three points. Four decisive matches remain, beginning with back-to-back meetings with Kenya this month.

Bafana Bafana will then travel to Guinea before hosting Eritrea in March, with Mosimane insisting his team must still occupy first place when the final round of matches is complete.

“The most important thing is that after matchday six, we must still be where we are right now. The other things don’t matter,” Mosimane said.

“We are there now, so it’s in our hands to stay there. But it’s still a long road to matchday six. We have to face Guinea away, plus the back-to-back games against Kenya.”

The qualification picture is particularly significant because Kenya will co-host the tournament with Uganda and Tanzania in the Pamoja region.

As a result, only one non-host nation from Group D will qualify. That team must either win the group or finish second behind Kenya, who will qualify as one of the hosts.

Mosimane believes Kenya, managed by fellow South African Benni McCarthy, will provide a serious test despite entering Friday’s match at Orlando Amstel Arena as underdogs.

The Bafana Bafana coach pointed to Kenya’s narrow defeat away to Guinea as evidence that they cannot afford to underestimate the Harambee Stars.

“We’ve got to be very careful. Kenya only lost 1-0 away to Guinea,” Mosimane warned.

“You give me the stats and facts, but you haven’t mentioned the other stat – that they lost by just a single goal away to a full-strength Guinea side. So, be careful.”