SA salute Warriors

Sports Reporter

THE South African football community is celebrating the Warriors’ brave display in a 1-1 draw against Nigeria on Sunday as it boosts their own Bafana Bafana’s chances of winning the group and secure a ticket to the 2026 Fifa World Cup. 

Nigeria, who are the group favourites followed by South Africa, stumbled to two 1-1 draws against Lesotho and Zimbabwe while South Africa are top with three points following their 2-1 win over Benin.

They face Rwanda today hoping to win and open a four-point lead over Nigeria who have participated at six World Cups, an African record bettered only by Cameroon.

Walter Musona’s brilliant free-kick in the first half is somewhat a trademark and social media was yesterday awash with the video of his free-kick goal against Itumelang Khune of Kaizer Chiefs during his days with Polokwane City in the South African Premiership. 

Even in their report yesterday, AFP referred to Musona as a Polokwane City player despite having returned to FC Platinum where he won the Castle Lager Soccer Star of the Year award last year.

As Bafana Bafana take on Rwanda in a 3pm kick-off today, head coach Hugo Broos says they are prepared to fight ugly on the artificial surface for maximum points at the Huye Stadium.

“Tomorrow we need 11 warriors on the field, we don’t have to think about good football, nice football, we have to think about fighting and we’ll see tomorrow with which players we select, at the moment we have to wait for the last training,” Broos said. He seemed to have issues with the pitch conditions. “Mothobi Mvala went out injured, I don’t know if he will be ready for tomorrow, Modiba was complaining about his knee before the Benin game — but he could play and I hope he can play again tomorrow.

“We also have Makgopa who went out against Benin, I think he will be ready for tomorrow but let’s first wait for training to see who will be 100 percent ready, I don’t think we can take risks on that (artificial) pitch, you have to be 100 percent fit to play.

“The ball bounces so much, we saw it’s difficult to play good football here, it will be fighting football.” 

Broos is confident Bafana Bafana will win the group. 

“I’m confident this team (can qualify for the World Cup), my confidence has grown in the last year, every camp I believe more and more, even though I changed (players) often in the past, but you see in the last camps it’s now the same players. 

“It means I’ve found my team, as a coach, I am confident in the team, I’ve seen them playing in the last three or four games against good opponents, good games, so there’s quality and potential in this group.” 

“Sometimes they don’t believe in their qualities, I tell them all the time they are a quality group, they just need to believe and more and more I see they are doing it — it won’t be a normal game tomorrow, they must arrive with confidence and that is step one to victory.