Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has admitted “we don’t have it in our hands anymore” after watching Zimbabwe plunge their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign further into disarray on Friday.
South Africa were held to a goalless draw by the Warriors at Moses Mabhida Stadium, allowing Benin to go two points clear at the top of Group C after beating Rwanda 1-0 away on the same evening. Going into battle already stung by the deduction of three points by FIFA, South Africa’s situation is now more complicated.
They dropped two crucial points at a critical stage of their World Cup qualification bid and Broos’ players are now under stern scrutiny to see whether they can rise at a time when it matters the most.
Bafana will now heavily rely on Nigeria to beat Benin on Tuesday while they have to overcome Rwanda at Mbombela Stadium. That has left Broos convinced nothing short of a miracle will take them to USA/Canada/Mexico.
‘A VERY SAD NIGHT’ FOR BAFANA AS BROOS SAYS LADY LUCK DESERTED THEM
“I think you understand that tonight [Friday] is a very sad night for us. We knew that the match will be tough, difficult,” Broos addressed the media after the match.
“We had chances to score. We had luck not with us today, certainly the second half with the ball on the line and another one on the post. We should have scored there and we should have won the game.
“We played against a very motivated team fighting for every meter, every ball. A little bit strange but okay. That shows again the relationship between those two teams is tense when they play against each other.
“We don’t have it in our hands anymore. We have to try again to be ready for the game on Tuesday, try to win it and then see what happens. It’s still possible but it has become more difficult.
“We still have to try and believe that maybe with a little miracle on Tuesday we still can qualify.”
To further throw Bafana’s situation into chaos is that they will be without suspended centre-back Mbekezeli Mbokazi when they host Rwanda. The Orlando Pirates defender was shown a red card in the dying stages of the match against Zimbabwe for violent conduct.
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