Ramatsiyi Moholoa

Ramatsiyi Moholoa

ACCRA - Bafana Bafana may not have realised their dream of going beyond the group stages in the 26th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, but Safa is satisfied with their showing.

Molefi Oliphant, Safa president, yesterday recognised the improved performance of the team in Ghana, compared to Egypt in 2006 where they went out at the same stage without a point or goal.

This time South Africa were bundled out with two points and two goals.

Oliphant, who is also the deputy president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), said: "I said I wish that they [Bafana Bafana] win the tournament here in Ghana. Obviously, the wish has not been realised.

"But there is light at the end of the tunnel. The vision of the South African Football Association was and still is to present a competitive South African senior national football team for future competitions.

" We are still working hard to present a competitive South African national team. We started building the new team from zero [scratch].

"Everybody here in Ghana, including my colleagues in the CAF executive committee, said South Africa played well in this tournament. They are saying there is a great improvement from the previous tournament.

"We [Safa] congratulate our players for the fighting spirit displayed during the tournament ... The work done by the coach and his team should also be recognised."

Meanwhile, CAF has retained South African referee Jerome Damon and assistant referee Enock Molefe for the rest of the tournament.