IT may not have been the six points he’d bargained for, but Hugo Broos was not complaining after the opening two matches of the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers.
As he looked ahead to the upcoming matches for the right to earn a ticket to the biennial continental showpiece, which will be hosted by Morocco from December 2025 to January 2026, the Belgian coach of Bafana Bafana foresees a much more handsome return for his team.
“In October (when they play back-to-back matches against Congo Brazzaville), we will be much sharper than we were. We are first (in Group K) with Uganda with four points, and we are in a good position,” Broos said after the 3-2 victory over South Sudan in Juba on Tuesday, with a brace from Oswin Appollis and a Thalente Mbatha stoppage-time winner.
“I think the two games in October against Congo will be very key. If we have at least four points or six, that will be a good thing because we will play at home against South Sudan, and you have to win at home, then you qualify.”
Broos’ belief that they will be much better is because the majority of his squad would have gotten enough competitive action, with the Betway Premiership season set to kick off this weekend.
🏆 𝔸𝔽ℂ𝕆ℕ 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟝 ℚ𝕌𝔸𝕃𝕀𝔽𝕀𝔼ℝ𝕊 🏆
— SABC Sport (@SABC_Sport) September 10, 2024
ⒼⓄⒶⓁ : Thalente Mbatha with an essential goal for Bafana Bafana!
𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐒𝐮𝐝𝐚𝐧 🇸🇸 2⃣➖3⃣ 🇿🇦 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚
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“First of all, the big trouble we have is that our players didn’t play competitive games. Eighty percent only played pre-season friendly games.
“We are not sharp enough... This is not the same South Africa we knew from other games.
“The second thing: Individual mistakes can always happen. In the two games, we made mistakes.
“The second goal against Uganda (in the 2-2 draw at Orlando Stadium last Friday) and the two goals (conceded against South Sudan) were defensive mistakes, and this is something we have to do better in the next games against Congo.
“I am sure it will be, because my players would have (had) more competitive games, the (league) competition starts in South Africa this weekend.
“That was our problem. We did not have enough competitive games, so there was a lack of sharpness in our game.”
Broos was actually delighted with the four points they earned from clashes with Uganda and South Sudan, thanks largely to the fact that “the good Lord was with us”.
⏪ 🅸🅲🆈🅼🅸 ⏪
— SABC Sport (@SABC_Sport) September 11, 2024
Bafana Bafana clinched a 3⃣➖2⃣ victory over South Sudan in the #AFCONQ2025 Group K match in Juba on Tuesday!#SABCSportFootball pic.twitter.com/mCcBgOTjqC
Bafana Bafana needed injury-time goals by substitute Mbatha in both matches to earn a 2-2 draw against Uganda at Orlando and a 3-2 over South Sudan in Juba.
“l am happy that we still could win the game (because) honestly, I didn’t believe in it anymore because of the problems we had,” Broos said at the post-match conference.
“I knew that this team of South Sudan play with heart and dedication, and they have a lot of tall players. But then we are playing high balls, and our defence is not aggressive enough.
“We put ourselves in problems today, but it was a happy end for us, and I am very happy with it.
🚨 𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗣 𝗞 🚨
— SABC Sport (@SABC_Sport) September 11, 2024
How things stand in Bafana Bafana's group after the first two rounds of fixtures in #AFCONQ2025 #SABCSportFootball pic.twitter.com/HgtzxoEbcG
“My fear before the two games, having seen the two opponents playing, was that we lacked sharpness.
“But we are lucky again that the good Lord was with us in those games, and that we scored against Uganda on 94 minutes and South Sudan on 95 minutes.”
Bafana will need to make their own luck against Congo Brazzaville next month, and the start of the Premiership is music to the coach’s ears as it will mean he will have sharp players come match-days three and four on October 7 (home) and 15 (away).