Birthday boy Teboho Mokoena reflects on Bafana’s AFCON last 16 qualification

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Mokoena spoke to SABC Sport in the post-match mixed zone at Stade Amadou Gon Coulibaly in Korhogo, Côte d’Ivoire following their goalless draw against Tunisia.

Having played a total 270 minutes of football so far at the continental showpiece, the Mamelodi Sundowns star says this qualification has been a true test of character.

“Today, even when I woke up in the morning, I woke up so tired, but we had to fight for this game so that we can go to the next round,” said Mokoena.

“So I think everyone, from the bench and those who started the game, we put in a shift and I think we deserve to be where we are now.”

Coming to this tournament, Bafana had only three players who had played at senior AFCON level – captain Ronwen Williams, Themba Zwane, and Percy Tau (all in 2019), but a number of players also previously featured at U17 and U20 AFCON and World Cup finals, as well as the Olympic Games.

Mokoena, who is one of those that played at the 2017 FIFA U20 World Cup in South Korea and the 2020 Olympics in Japan, talks about his first senior AFCON experience so far.

“These competitions are very tough, and I have a beautiful record – U20, we lost in the semi-finals, at the U23 AFCON we lost in the semi-finals again, and now we are out of the group [at senior AFCON],” he reflected.

“So, it’s a good record for me also, for my book, so I’m very impressed because I’ve been here before, and nothing has changed. I think the level of football in Africa has grown.”

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