Mosimane urges Bafana Bafana to prioritise results in AFCON 2027 qualifier

Pitso Mosimane has told South Africa to put attractive football to one side and focus on securing the points they need when they face Kenya in Tuesday’s Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifying return leg in Nairobi.

Bafana Bafana twice surrendered the lead in Friday’s 2-2 draw with the Harambee Stars at Orlando Amstel Arena, missing the chance to strengthen their position at the top of Group D.

South Africa had opened their qualifying campaign with victories over Guinea and Eritrea, but the draw left Mosimane frustrated. Despite the setback, the coach believes qualification remains firmly within his team’s control with three matches still to play.

South Africa lead Group D on seven points from three games, one point ahead of Guinea on six. Kenya are third with two points, while Eritrea are bottom with one.

Kenya are already guaranteed a place at AFCON 2027 as co-hosts, meaning the other teams are competing for the group’s remaining qualification place. With the margins so narrow, Bafana Bafana cannot afford another dropped opportunity if they are to preserve their advantage.

Mosimane said Friday’s match had underlined the importance of converting chances rather than simply dominating possession.

“Pretty football is not all about that. You need to take the chances. And ball possession doesn’t win games, right? So that’s the reality and that’s what you see,” he said.

That message is likely to be central to South Africa’s approach in Nairobi. They must be more clinical against a Kenya side encouraged by its recovery from two goals down in Johannesburg.

The result has made the qualification campaign more difficult, but Mosimane said his players must accept the challenge and continue to aim for the position they currently occupy.

“That’s the lessons we get from there. But I think we want to qualify the hard way. I think we want it the hard way, right? But for me it’s to stay where we are on the log and finish where we are on the log, right? So it’s still in our hands, right? But it’s sad,” he added.

The coach also wants the response in Kenya to reveal the character within his squad. The late equaliser on Friday showed how quickly a match can change, even when a team appears to be in control.

“It’s bitter, but it’s part of the game. Now we can see the character we have in the team and we fight and we stay where we are because we work hard to be where we are, right?” Mosimane said.

Tuesday’s fixture gives Bafana Bafana the opportunity to recover their momentum and defend the position they have worked to establish. For Mosimane, the priority is clear: results matter more than the quality of the performance as South Africa pursue AFCON 2027 qualification.