Broos Slams Referees After Bafana’s Narrow Loss to Egypt
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos expressed his frustration and disappointment following his team’s 1-0 loss to Egypt in their second Africa Cup of Nations group stage match on Friday.
The decisive moment arrived on the stroke of half-time when the referee awarded a penalty after Khuliso Mudau was judged to have fouled Liverpool attacker Mohamed Salah in the box. Salah converted the spot-kick, and despite Bafana’s best efforts to find an equalizer, the score remained unchanged until the final whistle.
The match was marred by controversy, particularly in the final 10 minutes. The Egyptian defense appeared to be involved in a clear handball incident inside the 18-yard box; however, despite a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) intervention, no penalty was awarded to South Africa.
“Even Mo Salah said to me after the game, ‘I was surprised it was a penalty.’ It was ridiculous, really ridiculous.” — Hugo Broos
This decision drew the ire of the Bafana Bafana coach, who questioned the consistency and logic behind the officiating.
“Before the tournament, they spent 45 minutes explaining the rules—25 to 50 different rules,” Broos said in a post-match interview. “It’s a penalty, then it’s not a penalty. In the end, there are so many rules that nobody knows what to do anymore. Look at the first penalty; even Mo Salah said to me after the game, ‘I was surprised it was a penalty.’ It was ridiculous, really ridiculous.”
The 2017 AFCON-winning coach also questioned the specific explanations given to his team regarding handball decisions.
“In the meeting, they said when the arm is extended from the body, it is a penalty,” Broos added. “The arm was extended, so it was a penalty. Then they talk nonsense about a ‘supporting arm’—who invented this?”
Despite the defeat, Bafana Bafana remain in second place in Group B with three points. They will aim to bounce back and secure a spot in the knockout stages when they face Zimbabwe in their final group match. Meanwhile, Egypt, who have already secured qualification for the next round, will take on Angola in their final fixture.
