Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has reacted to the team’s draw for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations finals.
The continental football showpiece will be hosted by Ivory Coast next year from 13 January to 11 February 2024.
The draw took place on Thursday 12 October in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Bafana were placed in Group E alongside Tunisia, Mali and neighbours Namibia.
HUGO BROOS’ REACTION TO 2024 AFCON FINALS DRAW
According to the Belgian tactician, it’s a fair draw, as it could have been worse with teams like FIFA World Cup semi-finalists Morocco, Senegal and Ivory Coast.
“Honestly, I’m not really unhappy. When you see the teams that were represented. Mali, for sure, we have a big team, on the other side Tunisia also,” Broos told SAFA media.
“I preferred to have Tunisia than Senegal or Cote d’Ivoire, but that’s also good. We have Namibia that we know, I think we can achieve our best level and go to the group stages.
“When you’re in put in pot three you don’t have to hope too much because you have two big teams in the group. Tunisia is a big team, but less than Morocco, Senegal or the hosts [Ivory Coast].
HUGO BROOS ADMITS THAT GROUP E WILL BE TOUGH
Broos is optimistic about qualifying for the group stages. However, he admitted it will be tough.
“From that side, I think we’re doing a good thing. Mali is not really a big talk but again it will be tough, two big teams. To be direct qualified you have to beat them both [Tunisia and Mali], so we’ll see. I’m rather happy with the draw, it could have been worse.”
Bafana will be aiming to leave a mark in Ivory Coast after missing out on the last edition of the competition which was hosted in Cameroon in 2021.
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