Senegal draw came as some comfort to Bafana

South Africa’s World Cup hopes were handed a massive blow with defeat in Praia on Friday night but a goalless draw in Saturday’s other Group D match between Senegal and Burkina Faso is a result that Bafana Bafana supporters can take heart from.

Although Senegal started the latest round of fixtures one point behind Burkina and South Africa in the standings‚ they were the fancied team in the group with an impressive squad of players from clubs in the English premier league‚ Italy’s Serie A and in France’s top flight.

On Saturday night they were heavily fancied at home against Burkina but were held to a goalless draw in the best possible result from a South African perspective.

The two teams meet again on Tuesday‚ this time in the Burkinabe capital Ouagadougou‚ kicking off some 90 minutes after South Africa begin their bid for rehabilitation at home to the Cape Verdians at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.

Senegal‚ who had Sadio Mane back in attack‚ missed a succession of chances in the game as Burkina put up a stout defensive blocking‚ looking for the away point.

But they also had their chances with Alain Traore coming close‚ prompting Seneghal to make two halftime changes.

But any advantage the entrée of Diao Balde Keita (just signed by French champions Monaco) and Pape Alioune Ndiaye (based at Turkish giants Galatasaray) was supposed to make was negated when defender Kalidou Koulibaly was sent off 10 minutes into the second half.

Koulibaly plays at Napoli in Italy and is rated as one of the best defenders in world football.

“I’m filled with regret‚ I wanted to play in the return match in Ouagadougou and help us to win this match‚” the French-born Koulibaly told local reporters after his dismissal.

“I’m really sad not to be able to be playing.

"But we still have 26 players in the squad who will be giving 100 percent each and we will return with the three points.”

Senegal coach Aliou Cisse also talked up his team’s chances.

“We have a good group‚ strong mentally‚ physically and technically to take on the challenge.”

Burkina Faso now have a two point advantage in the standings and according to their coach Paulo Duarte were full value for their vital away point.

“Over the whole game‚ we can say that it is a fair result‚ a just result because both teams had opportunities‚'' said the Portuguese tech.

"We put in place a strategy that worked because we knew that in front of a big team like Senegal‚ we should not leave any space.

''The first game is over and we will play our cards thoroughly in the return against a great team that has not yet said its last word. But we haven’t either‚" he added.

South Africa’s last two group fixtures are home to Burkina Faso next month and away to Senegal in Dakar in November.