After holding their own in a three-match friendly series against heavyweights Cameroon in July 1992, which marked South Africa’s return to international football, reality hit hard for Bafana Bafana when they entered into the qualifying tournaments for the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations and FIFA World Cup.

In their first competitive match since isolation, South Africa were handed a 4-1 humbling by neighbours Zimbabwe in an AFCON qualifier in Harare in August of 1992. Vitalis Takawira, Rahman Gambo and Peter Ndlovu (two) scored the goals for the Warriors, who demonstrated that Bafana Bafana had a lot of maturing to do, despite the obvious talent of a team which featured the likes of Lucas Radebe, Doctor Khumalo, Marks Maponyane, Philemon Masinga and Neil Tovey.

A 1-0 home loss against Zambia in their second AFCON qualifier followed two weeks later, before Bafana Bafana opened their first-ever World Cup qualification campaign in October 1992 with a 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Nigeria at the National Stadium in Lagos.

The Super Eagles team featured superstars such as Augustine Eguavoen, Stephen Keshi, Samson Siasia, Rashidi Yekini, Victor Ikpeba and Finidi George, who would underpin their success at the 1994 AFCON and the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, USA.

Bafana Bafana was still finding its footing on the international stage following South Africa’s readmission to FIFA and the global sporting community. Coach Stanley ‘Screamer’ Tshabalala, who was soon replaced by Ephraim ‘Shakes’ Mashaba, had a squad filled with potential, but the players lacked the experience of playing together in high-stakes international matches.

The defeats highlighted the challenges Bafana Bafana faced as they transitioned into the international football fold. It also underscored the competitive nature of African football, where established teams like Zimbabwe were difficult opponents, even for a re-emerging South African side.

These losses served as a valuable learning experience for Bafana Bafana. It was a reminder of the hard work and unity needed to compete at the highest level in football, and ultimately fuelled their improvement in subsequent years.