Dean Furman did not hold back. The former Bafana Bafana captain called South Africa's World Cup opener against Mexico a "nightmare from start to finish," adding that the team was "miles off it." It is the kind of verdict that stings, especially coming from someone who once wore the armband.
What makes it worse is the mood back home. Across the continent, fans are doing something that has become almost ritual with this team: hate-watching. They tune in not out of hope, but out of habit, frustration, and perhaps a stubborn loyalty they cannot quite shake.
Bafana Bafana have a way of pulling people in even when they give every reason to be switched off. The question now is whether the team can turn this opening result into motivation, or whether the rest of the tournament will feel like more of the same.
Originally published by BBC Africa.