Meyiwa's spirit kept us going, says Keet

Photo source:soccerladuma.co.za

Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Darren Keet says Senzo Meyiwa's influence throughout the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers had far reaching effects on the national team, who played in memory of their fallen former skipper.

"It was a sad period of course but for us as footballers and friends of Senzo we had the motivation to get through it," Keet said shortly after South Africa jetted back following their 2-2 draw on Wednesday evening.

Keet was entrusted with the unenviable task of replacing Meyiwa, who was shot and killed last month, for the last two Afcon qualifiers against Sudan and Nigeria.

South Africa let their 2-1 advantage slip three minutes into added-time as Nigeria salvaged a draw at the Akwa Ibom Stadium in Uyo, but the result mattered little for Keet and the team, who had already secured qualification to next year's tournament before their clash with the Super Eagles.

An emotional Keet, playing in only his third international match after biding his time behind Meyiwa and Itumuleng Khune, paid tribute to Meyiwa, whom he said would have loved to see the team safely through to the tournament in Equatorial Guinea next year.

"We knew he was always behind us. The strongest thing is that he was looking down on us and everyone knew that -- no matter what we did, we did it for him.

"The strength in that would be to carry it on for him and to continue the spirit that he left in the team, to carry this country forward. For him, it was a goal to take the country to the next level and it's best for us to continue that for him."

-Timeslive.co.za