All Article Properties:
{
"access_control": false,
"status": "publish",
"objectType": "Article",
"id": "2405651",
"signature": "Article:2405651",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-10-11-time-to-forget-afcon-performance-and-look-to-the-future-says-bafana-captain-ronwen-williams/",
"shorturl": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2405651",
"slug": "time-to-forget-afcon-performance-and-look-to-the-future-says-bafana-captain-ronwen-williams",
"contentType": {
"id": "1",
"name": "Article",
"slug": "article"
},
"views": 0,
"comments": 4,
"preview_limit": null,
"excludedFromGoogleSearchEngine": 0,
"title": "Time to forget Afcon performance and look to the future, says Bafana captain Ronwen Williams",
"firstPublished": "2024-10-11 13:40:46",
"lastUpdate": "2024-10-11 13:40:50",
"categories": [
{
"id": "29",
"name": "South Africa",
"signature": "Category:29",
"slug": "south-africa",
"typeId": {
"typeId": "1",
"name": "Daily Maverick",
"slug": "",
"includeInIssue": "0",
"shortened_domain": "",
"stylesheetClass": "",
"domain": "staging.dailymaverick.co.za",
"articleUrlPrefix": "",
"access_groups": "[]",
"locale": "",
"preview_limit": null
},
"parentId": null,
"parent": [],
"image": "",
"cover": "",
"logo": "",
"paid": "0",
"objectType": "Category",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/category/south-africa/",
"cssCode": "",
"template": "default",
"tagline": "",
"link_param": null,
"description": "Daily Maverick is an independent online news publication and weekly print newspaper in South Africa.\r\n\r\nIt is known for breaking some of the defining stories of South Africa in the past decade, including the Marikana Massacre, in which the South African Police Service killed 34 miners in August 2012.\r\n\r\nIt also investigated the Gupta Leaks, which won the 2019 Global Shining Light Award.\r\n\r\nThat investigation was credited with exposing the Indian-born Gupta family and former President Jacob Zuma for their role in the systemic political corruption referred to as state capture.\r\n\r\nIn 2018, co-founder and editor-in-chief Branislav ‘Branko’ Brkic was awarded the country’s prestigious Nat Nakasa Award, recognised for initiating the investigative collaboration after receiving the hard drive that included the email tranche.\r\n\r\nIn 2021, co-founder and CEO Styli Charalambous also received the award.\r\n\r\nDaily Maverick covers the latest political and news developments in South Africa with breaking news updates, analysis, opinions and more.",
"metaDescription": "",
"order": "0",
"pageId": null,
"articlesCount": null,
"allowComments": "1",
"accessType": "freecount",
"status": "1",
"children": [],
"cached": true
},
{
"id": "30",
"name": "Sport",
"signature": "Category:30",
"slug": "sport",
"typeId": {
"typeId": "1",
"name": "Daily Maverick",
"slug": "",
"includeInIssue": "0",
"shortened_domain": "",
"stylesheetClass": "",
"domain": "staging.dailymaverick.co.za",
"articleUrlPrefix": "",
"access_groups": "[]",
"locale": "",
"preview_limit": null
},
"parentId": null,
"parent": [],
"image": "",
"cover": "",
"logo": "",
"paid": "0",
"objectType": "Category",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/category/sport/",
"cssCode": "",
"template": "default",
"tagline": "",
"link_param": null,
"description": "",
"metaDescription": "",
"order": "0",
"pageId": null,
"articlesCount": null,
"allowComments": "1",
"accessType": "freecount",
"status": "1",
"children": [],
"cached": true
}
],
"content_length": 3924,
"contents": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Without a doubt Bafana Bafana’s tenacious displays at the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in early 2024, where they reached the podiumed for the first time in two decades, helped the team regain some semblance of respect from a South African public that had long cast them aside.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before an important double-header versus the central African nation of Congo-Brazzaville (not to be confused with neighbours the Democratic Republic of Congo), Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams believes it is important that the team not dwell on their bronze medal-winning displays in Ivory Coast.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Williams, who was one the stars of that tournament, says since that achievement, the team’s performances have been shaky. So they need to introspect, improve and look to perform even better on the road to the 2025 Afcon in Morocco. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“It’s time that we forget about Afcon. Especially because since Afcon, we’ve conceded about 10 goals in six games. That’s unlike us. So, we have to put the past Afcon aside and focus on qualifying for Afcon 2025, as well as the World Cup,” Williams told journalists before the team’s first clash with Congo in Gqeberha on Friday. </span>\r\n<h4><b>Turmoil</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Williams, who was born in Gqeberha but has spent most of his life in Gauteng playing for SuperSport United, and most recently Mamelodi Sundowns, also said that the beginning of the team’s latest camp was marked by some turmoil.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This included losing the national team’s newest hero, Thalente Mbatha. The Orlando Pirates midfielder was instrumental when Bafana Bafana claimed four points in their two opening Afcon qualification games, against Uganda and South Sudan.</span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2405399\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TL_2274233-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1507\" /> <em>Head Coach Hugo Broos with Ronwen Williams during Bafana's press conference at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on 10 October 2024. (Photo: Richard Huggard / Gallo Images)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2405407\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TL_2256337-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1634\" /> <em>South Africa celebrate after scoring a goal during the 2025 African Cup of Nations qualifier match against Uganda at Orlando Stadium on 6 September 2024 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo: Alche Greeff / Gallo Images)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The box-to-box midfielder scored a last-second equaliser against Uganda, and then a last-minute winner against the South Sudanese for a 3-2 victory. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mbatha has since had to withdraw from this current camp due to injury. The technical team also released Stellenbosch midfielder Jayden Adams due to “bad behaviour”.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“We were not happy with the start of the camp. There was a lot of instability. A lot of changes happened. That’s unlike us. We pride ourselves on our professionalism. That has paved the way for the success we’ve had over the past few years,” Williams said.</span>\r\n<h4><b>Maximum points</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Africa face a Congo side that only arrived in the country on Thursday. This after some turmoil when the Congolese Football Federation and the country’s Sports Ministry clashed, which delayed the naming of the party that would travel to South Africa. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nevertheless, coach Hugo Broos says this chaos in the Congolese camp made their team even more dangerous. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“As I said, and I will not change that, we want six points so that we can avoid any stress in November (when they play their final qualifying matches). We had that experience three years ago with Ghana (in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers). So, we will try to avoid that,” Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos said.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“From here it’s easy to say. You have to take account of your opponent. There were a lot of things happening in Congo at the beginning of the week,” the Belgian added.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“But we can make no bigger mistake than to think the team will be influenced by what happened and will not be ready for the game. Any professional wants to win. And they know that they need to win here in South Africa to stay in the hunt for Afcon qualification,” he said.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The clash between South Africa and Congo takes place at 7pm on Friday, 11 October 2024. The second fixture is scheduled for Tuesday, 15 October in Brazzaville. </span><b>DM</b>",
"teaser": "Time to forget Afcon performance and look to the future, says Bafana captain Ronwen Williams",
"externalUrl": "",
"sponsor": null,
"authors": [
{
"id": "19802",
"name": "Yanga Sibembe",
"image": "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sibembe.jpg",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/author/yanga-sibembe/",
"editorialName": "yanga-sibembe",
"department": "",
"name_latin": ""
}
],
"description": "",
"keywords": [
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "6178",
"name": "Sports",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/keyword/sports/",
"slug": "sports",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "Sports",
"translations": null
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "52084",
"name": "Africa Cup of Nations",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/keyword/africa-cup-of-nations/",
"slug": "africa-cup-of-nations",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "Africa Cup of Nations",
"translations": null
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "55712",
"name": "Bafana Bafana",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/keyword/bafana-bafana/",
"slug": "bafana-bafana",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "Bafana Bafana",
"translations": null
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "347885",
"name": "Yanga Sibembe",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/keyword/yanga-sibembe/",
"slug": "yanga-sibembe",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "Yanga Sibembe",
"translations": null
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "350798",
"name": "Hugo Broos",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/keyword/hugo-broos/",
"slug": "hugo-broos",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "Hugo Broos",
"translations": null
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "356072",
"name": "Ronwen Williams",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/keyword/ronwen-williams/",
"slug": "ronwen-williams",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "Ronwen Williams",
"translations": null
}
}
],
"short_summary": null,
"source": null,
"related": [],
"options": [],
"attachments": [
{
"id": "77209",
"name": "South Africa celebrates after scoring a goal during the 2025 African Cup of Nations, Qualifier match between South Africa and Uganda at Orlando Stadium on September 06, 2024 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Alche Greeff/Gallo Images)",
"description": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Without a doubt Bafana Bafana’s tenacious displays at the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in early 2024, where they reached the podiumed for the first time in two decades, helped the team regain some semblance of respect from a South African public that had long cast them aside.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before an important double-header versus the central African nation of Congo-Brazzaville (not to be confused with neighbours the Democratic Republic of Congo), Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams believes it is important that the team not dwell on their bronze medal-winning displays in Ivory Coast.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Williams, who was one the stars of that tournament, says since that achievement, the team’s performances have been shaky. So they need to introspect, improve and look to perform even better on the road to the 2025 Afcon in Morocco. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“It’s time that we forget about Afcon. Especially because since Afcon, we’ve conceded about 10 goals in six games. That’s unlike us. So, we have to put the past Afcon aside and focus on qualifying for Afcon 2025, as well as the World Cup,” Williams told journalists before the team’s first clash with Congo in Gqeberha on Friday. </span>\r\n<h4><b>Turmoil</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Williams, who was born in Gqeberha but has spent most of his life in Gauteng playing for SuperSport United, and most recently Mamelodi Sundowns, also said that the beginning of the team’s latest camp was marked by some turmoil.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This included losing the national team’s newest hero, Thalente Mbatha. The Orlando Pirates midfielder was instrumental when Bafana Bafana claimed four points in their two opening Afcon qualification games, against Uganda and South Sudan.</span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2405399\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"2560\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2405399\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TL_2274233-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1507\" /> <em>Head Coach Hugo Broos with Ronwen Williams during Bafana's press conference at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on 10 October 2024. (Photo: Richard Huggard / Gallo Images)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2405407\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"2560\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2405407\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TL_2256337-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1634\" /> <em>South Africa celebrate after scoring a goal during the 2025 African Cup of Nations qualifier match against Uganda at Orlando Stadium on 6 September 2024 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo: Alche Greeff / Gallo Images)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The box-to-box midfielder scored a last-second equaliser against Uganda, and then a last-minute winner against the South Sudanese for a 3-2 victory. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mbatha has since had to withdraw from this current camp due to injury. The technical team also released Stellenbosch midfielder Jayden Adams due to “bad behaviour”.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“We were not happy with the start of the camp. There was a lot of instability. A lot of changes happened. That’s unlike us. We pride ourselves on our professionalism. That has paved the way for the success we’ve had over the past few years,” Williams said.</span>\r\n<h4><b>Maximum points</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Africa face a Congo side that only arrived in the country on Thursday. This after some turmoil when the Congolese Football Federation and the country’s Sports Ministry clashed, which delayed the naming of the party that would travel to South Africa. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nevertheless, coach Hugo Broos says this chaos in the Congolese camp made their team even more dangerous. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“As I said, and I will not change that, we want six points so that we can avoid any stress in November (when they play their final qualifying matches). We had that experience three years ago with Ghana (in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers). So, we will try to avoid that,” Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos said.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“From here it’s easy to say. You have to take account of your opponent. There were a lot of things happening in Congo at the beginning of the week,” the Belgian added.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“But we can make no bigger mistake than to think the team will be influenced by what happened and will not be ready for the game. Any professional wants to win. And they know that they need to win here in South Africa to stay in the hunt for Afcon qualification,” he said.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The clash between South Africa and Congo takes place at 7pm on Friday, 11 October 2024. The second fixture is scheduled for Tuesday, 15 October in Brazzaville. </span><b>DM</b>",
"focal": "50% 50%",
"width": 0,
"height": 0,
"url": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TL_2274261.jpg",
"transforms": [
{
"x": "200",
"y": "100",
"url": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/TEikdcejpQ4tj7i-gGySIJHSvD4=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TL_2274261.jpg"
},
{
"x": "450",
"y": "0",
"url": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/PF_ZF_A-1XRS8oD5xsnFo3A0hZQ=/450x0/smart/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TL_2274261.jpg"
},
{
"x": "800",
"y": "0",
"url": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/zO9RKtHrPqGRonegYJ61iXCYvq8=/800x0/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TL_2274261.jpg"
},
{
"x": "1200",
"y": "0",
"url": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/W5MhEtJJtLNEXx4l0P2sTYszCXo=/1200x0/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TL_2274261.jpg"
},
{
"x": "1600",
"y": "0",
"url": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/_7lplwX0biW_Aqmhxwqy85LHm_I=/1600x0/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TL_2274261.jpg"
}
],
"url_thumbnail": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/TEikdcejpQ4tj7i-gGySIJHSvD4=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TL_2274261.jpg",
"url_medium": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/PF_ZF_A-1XRS8oD5xsnFo3A0hZQ=/450x0/smart/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TL_2274261.jpg",
"url_large": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/zO9RKtHrPqGRonegYJ61iXCYvq8=/800x0/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TL_2274261.jpg",
"url_xl": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/W5MhEtJJtLNEXx4l0P2sTYszCXo=/1200x0/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TL_2274261.jpg",
"url_xxl": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/_7lplwX0biW_Aqmhxwqy85LHm_I=/1600x0/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TL_2274261.jpg",
"type": "image"
}
],
"summary": "Bafana Bafana are aiming to claim an ambitious six points in the double header against Congo-Brazzaville, a result that would see them take a giant step towards qualifying for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. \r\n",
"template_type": null,
"dm_custom_section_label": null,
"elements": [],
"seo": {
"search_title": "Time to forget Afcon performance and look to the future, says Bafana captain Ronwen Williams",
"search_description": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Without a doubt Bafana Bafana’s tenacious displays at the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in early 2024, where they reached the podiumed for the first time in two decades",
"social_title": "Time to forget Afcon performance and look to the future, says Bafana captain Ronwen Williams",
"social_description": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Without a doubt Bafana Bafana’s tenacious displays at the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in early 2024, where they reached the podiumed for the first time in two decades",
"social_image": ""
},
"cached": true,
"access_allowed": true
} 
Head Coach Hugo Broos with Ronwen Williams during Bafana's press conference at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on 10 October 2024. (Photo: Richard Huggard / Gallo Images)
South Africa celebrate after scoring a goal during the 2025 African Cup of Nations qualifier match against Uganda at Orlando Stadium on 6 September 2024 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo: Alche Greeff / Gallo Images)