Online Reporter
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos was left frustrated with a goalless draw against ten-man Zimbabwe in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier on Friday.
The South Africans needed a win to head in the final match in the group in a good standing, but will now need a win in their final match against Rwanda and hope group leaders Benin lose to Nigeria.
Bafana also finished the match with ten men as defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi got his marching orders in the dying stages of the encounter.
With a number of missed chances, goal-line clearances, luck certainly wasn’t on the side of Bafana against the determined Warriors.
“Yes, it’s true, I think we tried everything today, we didn’t have the luck either, one moment on the ball line saved, one on the post, you also need a little bit of luck in such games and we didn’t have it in our side today,” Broos told SABC Sport.
“We fight for it, we did everything, tried everything but ok, you see a very motivated Zimbabwe team against us and we knew it would be tough, but that’s also football.
“It was not in our favour, at that moment Zimbabwe just played 20 metres of their goal and they tried with the transitions they would be dangerous and they tried a few times with the transitions.
“They were dangerous too, but this is something that’s very hard to accept certainly, it’s not lost totally but it will be very difficult now,” he added.
With both Benin and Nigeria winning their respective matches, it doesn’t paint a good picture for Bafana but not all is lost.
“Yeah, this is not good, also that we don’t have the result in our favour either but what can I say? I can’t blame my team, I can’t be angry, I’m just very disappointed that we couldn’t score the goal that we needed,” Broos said.
“We have to play again like today and try to win that game and see what happens, if everything is like it has to be maybe Benin losing in Nigeria and with the goal-difference, I don’t have a good view of that but we just have to go for the victory against Rwanda and see what happens.” -Kick Off
Mathew Masinge