Phiri sets his sights on nailing down a permanent place in the Bafana starting lineup

18 November 2019 - 16:14 By SAZI HADEBE
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Lebogang Phiri during Bafana Bafana's 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Sudan at Orlando Stadium
Lebogang Phiri during Bafana Bafana's 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Sudan at Orlando Stadium
Image: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images

Midfielder Lebogang Phiri has set his sights on nailing down a permanent place in the Bafana Bafana starting lineup after delivering a man-of-the-match performance in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Sudan at Orlando Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The France-based player‚ who earns a living at Guingamp in Ligue 2‚ was one of the few shining lights on the pitch after a pedestrian Bafana laboured to a narrow 1-0 win against the 128th-ranked visitors.

Phiri's strike on the stroke of half-time proved to be the only goal of the match as coach Molefi Ntseki's lacklustre charges wasted several opportunities that could have won the game comfortably for the home team.

“It was the greatest of feelings‚” said Phiri after starting a game for Bafana and scoring his first goal in six international matches.


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The 25-year-old Alexandra-born midfielder had been a bit-part player for Bafana before finally starting his first official match.

He played in a more advanced and offensive position in the park‚ linking up well with Percy Tau and Thulani Serero as Bafana tried to ask questions of the visitors' rearguard.

“Of course I have been anticipating getting minutes in the national team and I feel I have been doing very well without playing‚" he continued.

"We have great players in our country and I have always respected that.

"I have always waited for my chance.

“The (opportunity) finally came and I did my level best.

"Fortunately I got the goal and it got us the win‚ which is important.

"For me it’s to build on that and keep going forward.”

Phiri conceded that he hopes to have done enough to keep his place in the national team.

“Well I think each and every performance is important‚ especially in the national team‚ because we get four or five call-ups per year‚" he said.

“We don’t have as much time together

"So club football has to keep us on that consistent level and when we come to the national team‚ we just have to do our level best and keep building on the performance that we have at club level.

“But right now with the performance I portrayed on the pitch (on Sunday)‚ I think it’s a key factor as well going to the next selection and going to qualifiers for the Afcon and the World Cup.

"It’s a booster for me‚ and whether I’m selected or not‚ I know that I can give it all when I’m playing.”

Phiri admitted that Bafana’s overall performance was not convincing against the Sudanese.

“I think us as players on the field‚ we don’t feel so frustrated because we know the ability we have as individual and as a collective‚" he said.

"It came as proof when we scored the goal in the final minute of the first half.

“We created so many chances before that but nobody gave up and nobody seemed frustrated or felt ‘okay this is going to be another long day of missing chances and the opposition is going to score’.

"We kept belief in what we were doing and I mean the outcome of the game shows it all.”


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