Mashaba- Nigeria “Lucky” To Have Escaped Defeat

South Africa coach Ephraim ‘shakes’ Mashaba believes Nigeria were “lucky” to have forced both legs of their 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualification ties into deadlocks.

Bafana Bafana were on their track to a perfect away record in the final round of the just concluded 2015 Afcon group stage qualifiers at the Akwa Ibom International Stadium, Uyo, on Wednesday, only for Sone Aluko to equalise Tokelo Rantie’s brace in second-half injury-time.

Shakes Mashaba Says It's a Question of Luck That Bafana Bafana Failed to Beat Nigeria in Afcon Qualifiers.
Shakes Mashaba Says It’s a Question of Luck That Bafana Bafana Failed to Beat Nigeria in Afcon Qualifiers.

“It’s a question of luck, we should have beaten them at home in the 0-0 draw [in Cape Town] and this one as well,” Mashaba said after the match.

“For them to come back in the last five minutes of the referee’s optional time shows that Nigeria have little bit of extra luck against us but they are a good side, make no mistake.”

The Eagles had kept South Africa at bay in a goalless draw at the Cape Town Stadium in September.

The 1996 Afcon winners had already secured qualification and Group A dominance prior to Wednesday’s kickoff and were poised to add to their perfect away record from victories in Sudan and Congo, but ended up compounding the reigning champions’ woes as the 2-2 draw was insufficient to see third-placed Nigeria through to next year’s finals.

“They [Nigeria] play good football,” he quipped. “We planned to keep Nigeria at bay in the opening 10 or 20 minutes. We knew that it would happen, that they would break down. That’s why when we got the two goals, Nigeria did not know what to do because they were frustrated.”

“The boys did everything until the referee’s optional time. We lost shape and the goalkeeper was obscured a little bit, that’s why they took a shot. We weren’t picking up (marking) one-on-one.”

Mashaba has successfully clinched Bafana Bafana’s ticket to a 9th Afcon championship with an unbeaten record, and the 54-year-old tactician intimated they would go all the way in Equatorial Guinea.

He explained: “We’re not going to add numbers there, we’re going to compete and if people are going to take us for a ride, it will be at their peril.”