Echoes of '96 as Bafana aim for Afcon glory

THE superstitious are already saying it is written in the stars.

- MATSHELANE MAMABOLO

The Africa Cup of Nations title is South Africa’s for the taking, they believe. And how can they not think so when there’s so much that is seemingly aligned to that one time when Bafana Bafana ruled the continent?As Hugo Broos and his team prepare to travel to Morocco for the biennial, continental soccer showpiece — South African soccer fans are getting ‘that 1996 feeling’ about this one.

Three decades on, it would appear we are due another triumph.

The bronze medal position from the previous tournament has seen Bafana reclaim their place among the continent's football giants - so much so that they will start the tournament that will run from December 21 to January 18 as one of the favourites.

Some members of that victorious squad which was coached by the dearly departed Clive Barker are saying they are seeing in the current squad some similarities to theirs.

For starters, Bafana are in the same group as Angola and Egypt — just as Neil Tovey and Co were back in 1996.