A lakclustre second-half showing resulted in Bafana's half-time lead being overturned as their 18-game unbeaten run ended with a 2-1 defeat at the Moruleng Stadium. Baxter named a entirely new line-up from their momentus 2019 Afcon qualifying win away to Nigeria over the weekend, handing debuts to two players on the night.
However, the decision had an adverse effect as the new-look outfit crumbled to allow their opponents a sniff at victory before capitulating midway through the second stanza. Baxter conceded his side learnt a few valuable lessons on how not to play and felt, had it not been for poor finishing, a draw would have been a fair outcome.
"We showed in the second half that we can't switch off, we have to keep doing the right things and when we don't do that then, instead of being a threat to the opposition, we're a threat to ourselves," Baxter said in his post-match interview with SABC Sport. "But I'm pleased with the first-half performance and the last 15 minutes [of the match] we sort of kicked back into life and created a few chances. "On the run of play we should have probably scored there and a draw would have ended a fair result, but if you miss chances you're always at risk of losing the game."
Meanwhile, Bafana Bafana forward Lebogang Manyama has admitted that experience was the reason for the defeat. "Today was a game of two halves, you know, and we're obviously very disappointed [with the result]," Manyama, who picked up the Man of the Match cheque, told SABC Sport.
"I think in the first half we were on top of them, we dominated them from all angles and in the second half we didn't pick it [the tempo] up from the 45th minute. "And I think they came back and were obviously going to get chances, because when it's 1-0 then it's a bit of a 50-50. We had to get the second goal but missed a couple of chances. "But you cannot question the effort from the boys, and I think we did very well, considering a lot of us don't have international experience, but we rally and I think it's coming on very well."
Photo Credit: kickoff.com
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