Bafana Bafana coach Ephraim “Shakes” Mashaba has entered dangerous territory by playing the race card in response to criticism of the team’s plate semifinal exit from the Cosafa Cup.

After losing their quarterfinal against Botswana on penalties in their first match at the tournament‚ the seeded Bafana again lost via the lottery of the shootout (5-4) to Malawi in Rustenburg on Wednesday night.

The South Africans again failed to score and were even less convincing against Malawi‚ managing only one effort on target.

After a bright start 10 months ago‚ guiding a young team to qualification for their first major tournament — the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations — in years‚ questions are being asked if the current technical team have lost their way.

A first-round exit from the Afcon in January has been followed by Bafana falling at the first hurdle in a tournament Mashaba had identified as important to win if they were to make an impact on the continent. Naturally‚ the two failures have raised doubts about his suitability for the job and spelt the end of Mashaba’s honeymoon period.

The coach’s last line of defence was that such questions are because of race.

“I understand — it goes with agendas. I want to repeat today‚ we had a World Cup-winning coach [Carlos Parreira]. We went the same route. I’ve never heard the question‚ ‘Is he the right coach or not?’ ” Mashaba said at the post-match press conference.

“He came and he went. I’m going to be rude — I think my colour is a problem here. That’s what I’m going to say.”

Adding to the confusion was Mashaba failure to announce his squad for the June 13 opening Afcon qualifier against Gambia yesterday like he said he would. Journalists waiting for the announcement in Rustenburg were informed the coach had left for Johannesburg and the announcement would be made next week.

On Wednesday night‚ Mashaba was confident he has unearthed “two or three” players who could make that squad. He said his team performed well against Malawi.

“According to my judgement‚ the boys did very well to be where they are. Unfortunately we can’t define what well is all about. But I think they played their lungs out to lose on a penalty shootout. Once it gets to that stage it’s everyone’s game.

“In tactical terms‚ our opposition were a bit on top of us here and there. And that you cannot blame on the players because it’s all about exposure to these kinds of tournaments.”

Mashaba denied the Cosafa showing was a disappointment even though Bafana failed to win a game or score a goal as hosts‚ and a southern African powerhouse.

“Again‚ again‚ a team that is considered to be number one‚ I’m not sure what that is supposed to mean. I would like us to look at the composition of the team — as the coaches and the media‚” the coach said.

“We did not go overboard and say because we are favourites‚ or what‚ we should have won. We played the opposition‚ we were all equal‚ until we got to the penalty shootout.”

Mashaba earlier in the week accused Ajax Cape Town of refusing to release players. On Wednesday‚ the coach was vague on which other clubs would not co-operate‚ or how many players he could not secure.

“There are some‚ not one or two‚ clubs who said their players were unavailable‚ they are injured and all this‚” he said.

Bafana are drawn with Gambia‚ Cameroon and Mauritania in the 2017 Afcon qualifiers.