Bafana Bafana head coach, Hugo Broos, has offered his thoughts on the team’s recent inconsistent performances during the 2025 AFCON qualifiers.

With a mixture of relief and frustration, Broos pointed to one key factor behind the less-than-impressive outings: a lack of competitive match experience among his players.

Last-Minute Drama Against Uganda

In their opening match last Friday at Orlando Stadium, Bafana Bafana found themselves in a tough spot after squandering a 1-0 lead against Uganda.

Despite taking the early advantage, the team fell behind 2-1 to “The Cranes.”

Just when it seemed like the game was slipping away, Thalente Mbatha, on his debut, scored a crucial late goal to salvage a 2-2 draw.

A Repeat Performance Against South Sudan

Fast forward to Tuesday, and the team faced another nail-biter, this time against South Sudan.

The match, played at Juba National Stadium, was locked at 2-2 with only minutes remaining.

Once again, Mbatha stepped up in the clutch, scoring yet another late goal to secure a 3-2 win for South Africa.

While the victory was sweet, the overall performance left much to be desired.

Broos’ Explanation for the Team’s Form

After the games, Broos was candid in his assessment.

He admitted that Bafana Bafana didn’t perform at their best in either match, particularly in the showdown against South Sudan.

The coach attributed these lackluster displays to the fact that most of his players hadn’t played any competitive matches recently, as the South African domestic league had not yet kicked off.

Lack of Match Fitness a Key Concern

Broos highlighted the lack of sharpness in his squad, citing that roughly 80% of the players had only participated in pre-season friendlies.

“We’re not as sharp as we should be,” he acknowledged.

“This isn’t the South Africa we’ve seen in previous games.”

Costly Defensive Mistakes

In addition to the lack of match fitness, Broos pointed out individual mistakes that proved costly.

“The second goal against Uganda was a mistake,” he said, “and today, both goals from Sudan were defensive errors.”

Looking Ahead to Congo

Despite these challenges, Broos remains optimistic that things will improve when the domestic league begins, giving his players more competitive game time.

As the team prepares for their next qualifier against Congo Brazzaville, he’s hopeful that the increased match sharpness will make a difference.

In Broos’ words, “The biggest problem for South Africa in these last two games was the lack of competitive action.

We were simply not sharp enough, but I’m confident that will change as the season progresses.”

What’s Next for Bafana Bafana?

With a narrow escape in both qualifiers, Bafana Bafana will need to regroup and sharpen their game before they face tougher opposition.

Their next big test will be against Congo Brazzaville, and Broos is hopeful his squad will rise to the occasion with more match fitness under their belts.

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