Afcon - Bafana’s fall from grace most evident upfront

South Africa’s struggle in front of goal at the Africa Cup of Nations was once again highlighted by the team's showing in the group stages of the 2019 edition.

Against the Ivory Coast and Morocco, Bafana Bafana failed to register a shot on target (Caf website says Bafana had two shots on target against Ivory Coast, other sites say zero) and lost both matches 1-0.

It’s not hard to see that South African football has regressed since the 90s but the striking department in particular seems to have suffered the most.

A sad reality really, considering that the country once produced some of the most lethal forwards around.

Apart from the 90s and early 2000s, Bafana Bafana have not had a great record in front of goal at Afcon tournaments.

In 1998 when South Africa finished second behind Egypt, Benni McCarthy was the joint top scorer alongside Hossam Hasan, finding the net seven times, including four goals against Namibia.

McCarthy still holds the record for the only hat-trick scored by a South African in national team colours.

Two years later, Shaun Bartlett was the top scorer with five goals at the tournament, guiding Bafana to the bronze medal finish.

But, the national men’s team has been way off the mark since those days.

Who can forget the lowlight of 2006, when Bafana finished bottom of Group C, with no wins, no points and more alarmingly, no goals.

Statistics from South Africa’s domestic league tell a similar story – locally produced strikers simply struggle to score.

South African players failed to reach double figures in the recently concluded 2018-2019 Absa Premiership season, which consists of 30 rounds.

In fact, the last time a South African player scored more than 15 goals in the league, was during the 2011-12 season when Siyabonga Nomvethe netted 20 times.

So at the risk of stating the obvious: for South Africa to reclaim their place among the top footballing nations on the continent, the strikers will need to reclaim their place among the top goalscorers.

Bafana Bafana ‘s first 5 appearances at Afcon 1996 – 2004

• Played 25 games, scored 34 goals and conceded 22 times
• 14 wins, 6 draws, 5 losses

Bafana Bafana ‘s next 5 appearances at Afcon 2006 – 2019

       (Updated to include group game against Morocco)

• Played 16 games, scored 12 goals and conceded 21 times
• 2 wins, 5 draws, 9 losses 

*This article was last updated on the second of July 2019, to include stats from the Morocco game.