CHAN: Ntseki voices pride and regret for South Africa after Uganda draw

South Africa coach Molefi Nteski was left a proud man and a bit disappointed following the team’s exit from the TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship at Nelson Mandela Stadium on Monday.

In a game that Bafana Bafana needed a win to qualify, it was the hosts Uganda, who clinched a historic place in the last eight after a pulsating 3-3 draw in front of 34,194 fans.

The result, coupled with Algeria’s 0-0 draw against Niger in the other Group C fixture, ensured the Cranes advanced as group winners for the first time in their CHAN history, while South Africa’s campaign ended in heartbreak.

“We made the substitutions for a reason, and even though not everyone had the chance to showcase their value, I am proud of everyone’s effort. We scored three goals, but in the end, we dropped points that were practically in our hands,” said Nteski after the game.

“They showed their commitment and understood that they were playing for their country. In the game of football, like I said, there are three results (win, draw and defeat). Unfortunately, we got the result that we did not want (draw). We wanted to win, but things did not happen for us.”

He added: “As for the future, I think the country is very proud of their performances and we brought the best players that played very well in this tournament. I can’t fault any of them in terms of performance and commitment. As a coach and as a member of the team that came to represent South Africa here, we are very proud of them.”

South African Football Association (SAFA) President Dr Danny Jordaan said he was very proud of the way the players represented the country and their families, and he added that they should hold their heads high after giving their all on the pitch.