Coach Hugo Broos has addressed the issue of Bafana Bafana‘s lack of killer instinct in front of goal, as the 2026 FIFA World Cup is fast approaching.
Despite creating plenty of scoring opportunities during their two international friendlies against Panama, the South African men’s national team struggled to convert their dominance into goals.
However, this is a trend Broos is eager to rectify before the World Cup scheduled to be co-hosted by the USA, Mexico, and Canada from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
The 73-year-old mentor was speaking following Bafana’s 2-1 defeat to Panama at the DHL Cape Town Stadium on Tuesday night. This match was part of Bafana’s preparations for the upcoming World Cup.
‘THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO WORK ON’: HUGO BROOS

Reflecting on the team’s efficiency, the Belgian tactician expressed dissatisfaction over the wasted chances that defined their recent performances.
According to Broos, statistics don’t lie: the team is getting into the right positions but failing to bury their chances in the final third.
“This is something we have to work on. It has to do with the confidence of the players. When we had those chances today [Tuesday night] and last Friday, it was a little too much to miss them all,” said Broos.
“I think in the two games we had about 10 chances, and we only scored two times. So, that’s not enough. We can work on it, but the players are going tomorrow [Wednesday], and I will see them again at the end of May.
“It has to do with confidence in front of the goal and not knowing what to do. Certainly, in the two games, we missed too many chances, and on the other side, we also proved that in the past we could score more easily. This is why we played against a team like Panama—to learn what we still need to work on.”
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