Bafana Bafana Captain Thulani Hlatshwayo is optimistic that they will reach the knockout stages of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt. Bafana will play against Morocco, Ivory Coast and Namibia in Group D. Bafana bowed out of the group stages at the 2015 Afcon in Equatorial Guinea after they finished rock bottom in a group comprising of Senegal, Algeria and Ghana.

Bafana Bafana Coach Stuart Baxter is confident that the national team will make the nation proud at the 2019 Africa cup of nations in Egypt. The Englishman said when the team assembled for the first time for the Afcon at Steyn City School in Johannesburg. Various SA national teams disappointed this weekend including the Cricket national team, Bafana team coached by David Notoane in the Cosafa cup, the Under-20 national team and Banyana Banyana.

The Stormers chances of reaching the Super Rugby knockout stages took a big knock on Saturday when they lost to the Lions at Ellis Park. However despite the defeat, and Eben Etzebeth and Cobus Wiese joining a long list of injuries at the Cape Town franchise, Stormers flyhallf Josh Stander says they still believe they can sneak in to the play-offs if they win their last two home games, starting against the Sunwolves on Saturday. Etzebeth and Wiese join other high profile players on the injury list like Siya Kolisi and Peter-Steph Du Toit, but Stander says they need to just buckle down and hope the new players who come in step up.

Having endured a horrendous first season abroad, former Kaizer Chiefs star Siphiwe Tshabalala says he is definitely leaving Erzurumspor following their relegation from Turkey's Super Lig. In their last game last weekend, Tshabalala bagged an assist as he completed the full 90 minutes for the first time since joining last August but it was a little too late as his side finished bottom of the log.

Trounced 7-2 by Norway in their final World Cup preparation encounter on Sunday, Banyana Banyana players’ mental strength will be heavily tested as they go into their maiden World Cup in five days. Banyana, who will open their account with a clash against Spain on Saturday, found themselves stuck in traffic on their way to the stadium, as a result halting kick-off of the game with a further hour. Coach Desiree Ellis believes that hugely affected her girls mentally.

The cream of South African cyclists will descend on KwaZulu/Natal when Cycling SA (CSA) hold their annual Junior and Youth Road Championships in Camperdown, Durban from June 20 to 22nd. It will be the first time the CSA would be organising the Junior and Youth Road Championship as a separate event of the main elite race. CSA’s Maylene Paynter says one of the reasons why the route was chosen its spectator friendly.

Swiss based BMX racing sensation Manqoba Madida believes the South African team chosen to compete at the UCI BMX World Championships in Heusden-Zolder, Belgium next month has what it takes to qualify for Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Madida has been chosen amongst fellow elite riders Dylan Eggar and Alex Limberg and believes the team will have a chance to prove that they can be selected for Team South Africa come next year.

The roar of a Formula One car engine took over the city of Cape Town on Sunday, as former racer David Coulthard showed off the 2011 winning Red Bull car at the Red Bull Cape Town Circuit exhibition. Thousands of Capetonians packed the street outside the City Hall as Coulthard raced through the course, and the Scotsman says it is a great pleasure to be able to show off the V8 RB7, that won the championship in 2011.

North West Flames beat Free State Crinums in a Telkom Premier League Netball match at the Rembrandt Hall at the University of Pretoria on Sunday. The Flames lost the first match against the Crinums few weeks ago by nine goals. They will meet Western Cape Southern Stings in the semi-finals next weekend. Flames Coach Elsje Jordaan was happy they avoided current champions Gauteng Jaguars in the semi-final. Crinums did well to win the second quarter but were outscored in the other three quarters. They will meet reigning champions Jaguars next weekend. Their Coach Burta de Kock is looking forward to the Jaguars match despite a loss yesterday.

Bafana Bafana gave away a two goal lead to lose 5-4 on penalties to Botswana in the COSAFA Cup quarterfinals at the Princess Magogo stadium in KwaMashu on Sunday. Two early goals in the first half from Luther Singh and Grant Magerman gave the hosts an early promise. But they went to sleep in the second half and the Zebras replied with two identical headers from Lebogang Ditsele and Thatayaone Ditlhokhwe who scored at the death. Coach David Notoane was disappointed to see his team, largely made up of U23 players losing in this fashion.