SAFA CEO Dennis Mumble says it is key that Bafana Bafana pick up maximum points in the back-to-back matches against Cameroon if they are to achieve the mandate of qualifying for AFCON 2017.

Bafana are in dire straits at the moment in their quest to be amongst the 16 countries in Gabon next year with just a single point from two games in Group M, which has left them second from bottom.

A draw at home against Gambia in June last year and a shock defeat away to Mauritania three months later has left Shakes Mashaba faced with the difficulty of making sure that he takes points off the four-time African champions in the two matches being played on Saturday in Limbe and on Tuesday in Durban.

Only the group winners are guaranteed of qualification while the two best runners-up from the 12 groups with four teams each will also be handed tickets to Gabon.

With The Indomitable Lions on six points and Bafana on one this makes the two matches critical for Mashaba as defeat in any of the two could spell disaster.

“The whole country expects that we do well and by that we have to go and win these encounters so that we can qualify. The two key milestones that remain is that we must qualify for AFCON 2017 and the 2018 World Cup. We will still hold on to those guidelines and those milestones,” says Mumble, who is also well aware of the situation that Bafana need to rise from.

Actually, if truth be told Bafana are desperate right now. However, Mumble is confident.

“You will never know. Who expected the result in Mauritania last year? Given that Cameroon is on top of the table with six points right now there is nothing that stops us from competing well in this group. We are confident that the team can do well. From what I have seen in terms of the preparations so far I am confident that we can come out with good results from both of these matches,” says Mumble.

For Mashaba, who has spent the week continuing to grumble about the way the media has been reporting about him and the senior national team, he feels they are ready.

“Today we finished with our preparations. We just need to jump onto the flight to Cameroon and that’s it,” says the veteran mentor.