Bafana Bafana are likely to need a vast improvement if they are to avoid becoming Pharaoh fodder to Egypt in Tuesday night’s Nelson Mandela Challenge match at Orlando Stadium (7.05pm).

Bafana were uninspiring after completing a dismal 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign with a poor 1-1 draw against Mauritania in Nelspruit on Friday night.

If the South Africans do not up their game‚ they might come unstuck against rapidly recovering African superpower Egypt.

Bafana’s always diplomatic midfielder Dean Furman said he did not believe the South Africans’ mediocrity at Mbombela Stadium was down to the match being a dead rubber.

“There were maybe a few sub-plots to the game – there was obviously a bit of revenge for what they did to us over there [in Mauritania] that we wanted to take on them‚” Furman‚ who replaced Hlompo Kekana in the second half on Friday‚ said.

“But in any game where you put on your national team jersey‚ you’re representing the country and the fans. And it was important for us to try and get the win.

“I think we tried. Mauritania got a goal against the run of play. We came back into the game and I think from there‚ there was only one team looking to win.

“Sadly we couldn’t put the ball in the back of the net.”

It was not clear what increasingly embattled Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba’s gameplan was against Mauritania.

It was a performance symptomatic of a qualifying campaign where the coach admitted to not researching his opposition‚ resulting in a 0-0 home draw against Gambia‚ then 3-1 defeat to Mauritania in Nouakchott‚ results that killed SA’s chances in Group M.

Furman admitted that Bafana had been disjointed on Friday night.

“It became a difficult game once Mauritania went 1-0 up. It’s always difficult to play a side playing with 11 men behind the ball and soaking up every attack.

“And I think that’s maybe where our problem was. We were trying to force the game. We were so desperate to try to break them down that we were maybe making a few wrong decisions.

“We know Egypt are going to be a tough team to play. And we’re up against three top sides in our World Cup qualification group. So this game is a great test for us.”

Bafana are using this week’s two matches as preparation for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers‚ which they kick off away against Burkina Faso next month.

Observers at Egypt’s training sessions have been impressed by the intensity of the full-strength Pharaohs combination brought to Johannesburg.

Egypt are in a period of rebuilding after the decline of the all-conquering generation that won the Afcon in 2006‚ 2008 and 2010.

Their qualification campaign under Hector Cuper for Gabon 2017 has been promising‚ reaching the tournament at the expense of 2013 champions Nigeria‚ who the Pharaohs drew 1-1 with away and beat 1-0 in Cairo.

Argentinean Cuper‚ who earned three caps for his country in 1984‚ has coached some of the world’s‚ and especially Europe’s‚ leading teams‚ though has earned a reputation as something of a nearly-man.

With Mallorca‚ he lost Spain’s 1998 Copa del Rey final against Barcelona.

Mallorca lost again in the following year’s Uefa Cup Winner’s Cup final‚ to Lazio.

As coach of Valencia‚ Cuper lost in the Champions League final against Real Madrid in 2000 and Bayern Munich (on penalties) in 2001.

He finished third and second in Italy’s Serie A with Inter Milan in 2002 and 2003.

He has since found his way via stints in Greece‚ with the Georgian national team and in the UAE‚ to Egypt’s national team.

There‚ Cuper has forged emerging talent such as Stoke City’s new 19-year-old striker from Al Ahly‚ Ramadan Sobhi‚ Roma winger Mohamed Salah and Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny‚ into a tight unit. - TMG Digital