ANALYSIS | The real Bafana stands up to Czech giants... after flooring themselves

South Africa banished the impostors that have been masquerading as them at this year’s FIFA World Cup when the real Bafana Bafana stood up to Czech giants at Atlanta Stadium, writes Njabulo Ngidi.

At Atlanta Stadium 

Bafana Bafana were so eager to get going in the second half of their 1-1 draw with Czechia that they resumed the match before referee Tori Penso blew the whistle to restart the game at Atlanta Stadium.

The South Africans were caught in a trance of American showmanship as more than 67 000 supporters passionately counted down the seconds remaining before kick-off.

The giant screen that sits on the roof of the stadium, along with the announcer who sounded like he was in a rave, prompted the fans to count down before the game officially began – just as they did at the start of the first half.

When the crowd reached zero, Bafana assumed that it was showtime.

However, the referee had still not given them the go-ahead by blowing her whistle – resulting in the second half kicking off twice, first at the behest of the enthusiastic supporters and then at the instruction of the match official.

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Penso wore a warm smile when she had to remind Bafana that it was her, and not the crowd, who was in charge.

The enthusiasm to restart the match from the South Africans wasn’t because they undermined the officials, but because the “real” Bafana had finally arrived.

The impostors, who masqueraded as Bafana in the first half, complete with their colourful yellow jerseys and even surnames similar to the players that coach Hugo Broos named in his 26-man squad, had been banished to make way for the more recognisable figures of the South Africans.