No one would say it out loud, but Bafana Bafana might just be somewhat relieved if they bow out of the African Nations Championship (Chan), especially having given Angola no close-up examination of South Africa's first-string side.
South Africa seem assured of not qualifying for the 2016 Chan, having lost 2-0 with a fourth-string team against a strong Angolan side in the first leg of their penultimate round qualifier at Rand Stadium on Saturday.
After the second leg in Luanda this coming weekend, Bafana play Angola in a home-and-away World Cup qualifier next month.
Some consolation for Bafana should they not progress in the Chan would be that they would have seen most of Angola's first team in action up close ahead of their World Cup qualifier encounter.
"When we play Angola it will be on a Fifa date, and we will have our top performers in the PSL and those abroad to select from," Thabo Senong said.
Senong, who is Bafana Bafana assistant coach, stood in for head coach Shakes Mashaba who arrived late back from the senior team's central American tour on Friday.
Senong's side, made up of Premier League and National First Division bench-warmers in a game scheduled outside a Fifa international date, had their chances in a more evenly matched 90 minutes than the scoreline suggests.
"So now it's uphill for us. But there is another 90 minutes to fight for in the second leg and we're not going to Luanda as sheep to the slaughter," warned Senong.
Angola coach Romeu Filemon seemed determined to give nothing away.
Asked how close the side he fielded on Saturday will be to the one he puts out in the World Cup qualifier, Filemon would only say: "I'm sorry, I cannot give you what my strategy will be for November."
Bafana may celebrate Chan exit
No one would say it out loud, but Bafana Bafana might just be somewhat relieved if they bow out of the African Nations Championship (Chan), especially having given Angola no close-up examination of South Africa's first-string side.
South Africa seem assured of not qualifying for the 2016 Chan, having lost 2-0 with a fourth-string team against a strong Angolan side in the first leg of their penultimate round qualifier at Rand Stadium on Saturday.
After the second leg in Luanda this coming weekend, Bafana play Angola in a home-and-away World Cup qualifier next month.
Some consolation for Bafana should they not progress in the Chan would be that they would have seen most of Angola's first team in action up close ahead of their World Cup qualifier encounter.
"When we play Angola it will be on a Fifa date, and we will have our top performers in the PSL and those abroad to select from," Thabo Senong said.
Senong, who is Bafana Bafana assistant coach, stood in for head coach Shakes Mashaba who arrived late back from the senior team's central American tour on Friday.
Senong's side, made up of Premier League and National First Division bench-warmers in a game scheduled outside a Fifa international date, had their chances in a more evenly matched 90 minutes than the scoreline suggests.
"So now it's uphill for us. But there is another 90 minutes to fight for in the second leg and we're not going to Luanda as sheep to the slaughter," warned Senong.
Angola coach Romeu Filemon seemed determined to give nothing away.
Asked how close the side he fielded on Saturday will be to the one he puts out in the World Cup qualifier, Filemon would only say: "I'm sorry, I cannot give you what my strategy will be for November."
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