'We can do okay': Gavin Hunt lukewarm on 'a bit way behind' Bafana's prospects at Afcon

A less than exuberant assessment of Bafana Bafana's Africa Cup of Nations prospects came from SuperSport United head coach Gavin Hunt when he said the South Africans "can do okay" after they secured qualification this week.

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The men's senior national team put Liberia to the sword in Monrovia on Tuesday in a tightly contested 2-1 win to advance from Group K along with Morocco.

Hugo Broos's charges needed to win the match after suffering a 2-2 draw to the Lone Stars at Orlando Stadium in Soweto last Friday.

Despite playing on a synthetic turf pitch in the Liberian capital, Bafana got the job done and can begin planning for Ivory Coast.

However, Hunt foresees Bafana experiencing difficulty at the tournament, but the former Kaizer Chiefs mentor still backs the players.

"It was a very difficult game because of the Astroturf. [The weather] was also hot. We could have made it so much easier by winning on the night and Friday,' Hunt lamented.

"But I mean, they battled away, and they deserve to be there because, I mean, it's our time now.

"I'm glad and happy that we're there.

"[But] it was only a three-team league. So, in future, we should, you know, we get it the hard way.

"It's good to be there. We need to be in these tournaments. We need to, you know, if you can really concentrate and get a good team together for the tournament next January. It won't be easy.

"Obviously, we are a little bit way behind, but I mean, we've got players and we've got good, young people. I think we can do okay."