South Africa was eliminated from contention when Ghana beat Uganda 2-0 Sunday. A day earlier, the South Africans lost 3-1 at Burkina Faso.

"Outplayed, outfought, outdone," declared the Johannesburg-based Star newspaper.

Following its return to international soccer, South Africa went 0-1-2 at the 1998 World Cup, losing to eventual winner France before tying Denmark and Saudi Arabia.

The team, known as Bafana Bafana, beat Slovenia, tied Paraguay and lost to Spain at the 2002 tournament, missing advancement to the second round on the second tiebreaker -- South Africa had the same goal difference as Paraguay but one fewer goal.

"The loss only shows how far backwards we have gone in Africa," former coach Clive Barker was quoted as saying by The Star. "But all we can do now is to roll back our sleeves and make changes and look forward to the future."

Many critics blamed current coach Stuart Baxter or the South African Football Association. Baxter has repeatedly argued with SAFA over the amount of time his top players are spending with their foreign clubs.

"If the truth be told, the SA Football Association is mostly responsible for this national disaster," The Pretoria News said in an editorial.

Source: Chicago Sports