Afcon-winning Bafana Bafana captain Neil Tovey: We were never outplayed at the Africa Cup of Nations even though we were knocked out by Cameroon

Neil Tovey has described Bafana Bafana’s end in the Africa Cup of Nations as very disappointing but encouraged taking lessons from Afcon ahead of the World Cup.

Tovey, the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa, said Cameroon was not deserving of the 2-1 victory in Rabat.

“Very disappointing, but we played well enough in the tournament. We can take a lot of positives going into the World Cup. I did not see any team that was superior to us, not even Egypt. It takes us back to the old saying, if you don’t take your chances, you will not win the game,” Tovey told FarPost.

“We dominated games. Cameroon were never in the game, they in fact, looked mediocre. We should have taken the game by the scruff of the neck.

“You can’t waste at that level. It is international level, it is not club level. You can be the best player for Pirates, Chiefs, Sundowns or whatever, but the international level is a different kettle of fish.

Tovey said Bafana ought to know club level football is different to the international standard.

“In the PSL you get full chances, but at that international level you only get split chances. That is how we lost the game,” Tovey said.

The former Kaizer Chiefs captain said Bafana should have been clinical as the game started.

“It is a game we should have put to bed very early on,” Tovey said.

“Two one-on-one’s with the keeper, you’ve got to hit the target.”