Our Bafana ratings: Williams, Mokoena excelled while Tau flopped

We look at Bafana Bafana's individual performances after they clinched bronze at the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), which concluded in Ivory Coast on Sunday.

Ronwen Williams

Minutes played: 690

To say Williams had a fantastic Afcon would be an understatement. He walked away with the Goalkeeper of the Tournament, while SA got the Fair Play award. The Bafana skipper kept more clean sheets (five) than any other keeper and conceded the fewest goals (three) as well. Saving four penalties against Cape Verde in the quarterfinals earned Williams, 32, more respect and acclaim across the globe.

Rating: 9/10

Teboho Mokoena

Minutes played: 690

Mokoena was Bafana's heartbeat at Afcon. The 27-year-old midfielder was never dominated by any player in the middle of the park, bossing high-profile midfielders like Sofyan Amrabat of Manchester United and Morocco and Yves Bissouma of Tottenham Hotspur and Mali. Mokoena may have had a brilliant Afcon, but missing two penalties in the shootout against Nigeria and DR Congo slightly blemished his campaign. The Sundowns ace scored two goals and racked up one assist.

Rating: 8/10

Aubrey Modiba

Minutes played: 690

Modiba, 28, had a solid Afcon, playing every single minute like his two teammates Williams and Mokoena. However, the Sundowns utility left-back was casual at times, losing possession in dangerous areas. Modiba's ability to play as an inverted full-back always helped Bafana with more numbers in attack. Defensively, Modiba struggled a bit, especially against Cape Verde in the quarterfinals, where their tricky winger Mendes Rodrigues toyed with him big time. 

Ratings: 5/10

Sphephelo Sithole

Minutes played: 667

Sithole didn't start the tournament so well but he grew with more minutes under his belt. The 24-year-old property of Portuguese second-tier outfit Tondela gave Bafana stability in the engine room. "Yaya", as Sithole is affectionately known, was very good in breaking the opponents' attacks and his ball retention was also of a high standard. His biggest trait is simplicity. 

Rating: 7/10

Khuliso Mudau

Minutes played: 628

The ever-green Sundowns defender was hardly beaten in 1v1 situations. Mudau was also disciplined as he was never booked even once. The 27-year-old right-back's only defect at Afcon was missing a big chance very late against Nigeria in the semifinals. That  chance would've sent Bafana to the decider. Despite sustaining a knock that saw him play only the first half in the last game of the group phase against Tunisia, Mudau managed to come back and start all the games that followed.

Rating: 8/10

Mothobi Mvala

Minutes played: 600

Mvala was doubtful for Afcon after sustaining a late injury before Bafana departed. However, the Sundowns man managed to recover and travel with the squad. You'd not tell that Mvala had injury concerns as he was excellent in all the games he played. Mvala played a crucial role in SA keeping five clean sheets. He pocketed feared strikers like his Sundowns teammate Peter Shalulile and Nigeria's Victor Osimhen hands down. The penalty Mvala, 29, conceded against Nigeria in the semis was his only lowlight.

Rating: 8/10

Evidence Makgopa

Minutes played: 590

Makgopa's work rate at Afcon was second to none. The Pirates striker may have scored just one goal, in the 2-0 win over Morocco in the round of 16, but he was key in Bafana's overall style of play. The 23-year-old striker missed a penalty in the semifinals versus the Super Eagles. Makgopa also managed an assist, in the 4-0 thumping of Namibia.

Rating: 6/10 

Percy Tau

Minutes played: 565

Frankly, Tau had a poor Afcon. Things were simply not happening for the Al Ahly man. Tau missed a penalty that would have put Bafana ahead in their opener against Mali which they ended up losing. The 29-year-old managed to redeem himself, converting from the spot in the 4-0  drubbing of Namibia. His best moment was winning SA a late penalty against Nigeria in the last four with Mokoena tucking it away.

Rating: 4/10

Themba Zwane

Minutes played: 516

"Mshishi" made Bafana tick. At 34, Bafana coach Hugo Broos managed Zwane by only affording him one full match, substituting him in the other six. Many feel Broos should have let Zwane finish all the games as it was always evident that Bafana struggled without him. Zwane was named Man of the Match twice (against Namibia and Tunisia). The Sundowns star  managed two goals and one assist.

Rating: 7/10

Grant Kekana

Minutes played: 505

Kekana went to Afcon as a back-up centre-back with Mvala and Siyanda Xulu the preferred starters. It was Xulu's poor performance against Mali in the opener that forced Broos to start partnering Mvala with Kekana, his Sundowns teammate, and Kekana never disappointed. Kekana, 31, also took one for the team, fouling Nigeria's attacker to prevent a late goal in the semifinals, receiving a red card.

Rating: 7/10

Thapelo Morena

Minutes played: 375

Morena is one player who wasn't really given enough minutes. Even so, the 30-year-old utility winger showed glimpses of brilliance. Morena laid one assist at Afcon against Namibia. Morena was also crucial in helping Mudau in defence, especially against Morocco and Cape Verde. It remains a mystery as to why Broos never used Morena in the semifinals against Nigeria. 

Rating: 5/10

Siyanda Xulu

Minutes played: 255

After a disastrous display against Mali in the first game, Xulu was dropped. The SuperSport United man was reinstated into the starting line-up in the semifinals against Nigeria and he had a decent game. Xulu, 32, was also shaky in the third-place play-off against DR Congo, where he scored a nice penalty in the shootout as Bafana won 6-5 to take bronze home.

Ratings: 4/10

Thapelo Maseko

Minutes played: 201

Maseko was unlucky to sustain a hamstring injury against Cape Verde in the quarterfinals, subsequently missing the last two games against Nigeria and DR Congo. Maseko, 20, was developing as Bafana's super-sub as he made an impact off the bench in all the games, apart from the opener against Mali, where he started. The Sundowns starlet scored against Namibia.

Rating: 5/10

Mihlali Mayambela

Minutes played:196

Mayambela was wasteful whenever given a chance. The 27-year-old striker struggled both as a winger and as No.9, especially in the last game against DR Congo, where he missed one of the game's best chances. Mayambela, who plays for Cypriot club Aris Limassol, gave Bafana nothing on the field, despite being mainly used as the second-choice striker behind Makgopa.

Rating: 3/10

Zakhele Lepasa

Minutes played: 111

Lepasa was also not given enough time as Broos persisted with Makgopa. The 26-year-old Pirates man seemed to be lacking confidence whenever he was brought on. Lepasa also missed a penalty in the shootout against Cape Verde.

Ratings: 3/10

Nkosinathi Sibisi

Minutes played: 93

Sibisi hardly put his foot wrong against DR Congo, the only game he started and finished. The Pirates centre-back looked threatening with diagonal balls against DR Congo as well. He played three minutes in the semifinals against Nigeria after Kekana was sent off. Against DR Congo, the 28-year-old Sibisi also scored in the penalty shootout to make sure Bafana won.

Rating: 4/10

Thabang Monare

Minutes played: 65

The 34-year-old Monare kept things simple whenever he entered the fray. Broos was too reliant on the midfield partnership of Mokoena and Sithole, hence Monare was used sparingly. 

Rating: 3/10

Nyiko Mobbie

Minutes played: 62

Mobbie, one of Broos' favourite players, was also never given enough time to prove himself at Afcon. However, when the Sekhukhune right-back replaced Mudau at halftime against Tunisia, he put in a good shift. Against Cape Verde as well, Mobbie, 29, was solid defensively when he came on for the last 17 minutes.

Rating: 4/10

Terrence Mashego

Minutes played: 24

Mashego, 25, didn't play enough minutes to be really judged, but he helped rejuvenate Bafana when he came on against Cape Verde and DR Congo

Rating: 3/10

Oswin Appollis

Minutes played: 32

Appollis, 22, was never used until coming off the bench to play the final 32 minutes of the third-place play-off against DR Congo. The Polokwane City man was energetic and he also converted his penalty in the shootout to ensure Bafana take bronze home

Rating: 3/10

Jayden Adams

Minutes played: 31

Adams, 22, had a few nice passes when he came on for extra time against Cape Verde. The Stellenbosch star always kept it simple.

Rating: 3/10

Veli Mothwa and Ricardo Goss: They were the only players not to play