Bafana Bafana endured yet another game without a goal as Carlos Alberto Parreira was made to wait for his first win back at helm against Jamaica on Tuesday night.
South Africa's last goal came against lowly Madagascar, with the national team failing to successfully hit the target in six of their last eight encounters.
And it was the visitors who actually enjoyed the best chance of the encounter in Bloemfontein, with Aaron Mokoena's goal-line clearance preventing Dane Richards from opening the scoring after he dazzled the defence and had Rowen Fernandez beaten. Bafana also came close to breaking the deadlock in the 11th minute after Benni McCarthy and Katlego Mphela showed glimpses of a partnership that could flourish.
McCartly created a beautiful cut back for Mphela, who took a touch too many and made it easy for goalkeeper Dwayne Miller to clear the danger at his near post. The Mamelodi Sundowns forward won a corner for his efforts, but throughout the night, Bafana were woeful with their set pieces.
The only direct free kick that managed to find the target, was unleashed from the boot of McCarthy, who forced Miller into a sharp save. The Blackburn Rovers ace was always busy in the box, but was often erroneously flagged offside in the danger area. Parreira admitted after the game that "a lot of work needs to be done" and that the team "is not in good shape at the moment". Fitness was probably a factor in Bafana's poor off-the-ball movement, which made locating a killer pass near impossible.
Shortly before the half-time interval, Jamaica gave Bafana another scare when Demar Phillips' free kick wasn't too far away from the upright. The hosts lacked rhythm after the break, a period of play which Parreira insisted "did not exist" to him due to the disjointed passing and failure to create clear-cut chances.
The only joy for Bafana in the second 45 minutes was an effort from Kagiso Dikgacoi, which missed the upright by inches. The midfielder, however, forms one of South Africa's many players that haven't been clocking up regular game time for their clubs. With Bafana's next confirmed game only pencilled in for March, Parreira faces a tough task in whipping the side into World Cup shape.
And with his second coming not that well received in the country, he has to convince SAFA and the powers that be that the 'new look' Bafana Bafana can shake off the problems of old.
