A hostile reception awaited Bafana Bafana (The Boys), continental champions in 1996 as their plane touched down from Egypt, where their dismal run ended with Monday's 1-0 loss to Zambia.

Players were loudly booed by crowds who made the sound of cattle bellowing as they were led through international arrivals, escorted by a heavy police and security contingent, the SAPA news agency reported.

At a press conference later coach Ted Dumitru apologised and captain Sibusiso Zuma admitted "we have a big problem with SA football at the moment."

"First of all, a big sorry to the nation, we failed to meet even your lowest expectations," a visibly smarting Dumitru said.

"But how big is their crime -- to be booed and to be called names?" he asked.

Zuma said "I'm not just going to make excuses. I think we have a big problem with SA football at the moment."

"We have got to fix it as soon as possible."

But he pleaded for support, saying "Please, you need to take it easy on the boys."

South Africa, a decade ago champions on home soil, finished pointless at the bottom of their group after losing in succession to Guinea, Tunisia and Zambia without scoring a single goal.