Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has lamented the recent defensive woes his side has displayed in their last 2025 AFCON qualifiers ahead of their double-header clash against Congo-Brazzaville. 

Broos’ troops were held to a disappointing 2-2 draw by Uganda last month as Orlando Pirates midfielder Thalente Mbatha rescued a point with a stoppage-time goal, before scoring a last-gasp winner in a 3-2 victory over South Sudan four days later. 

As a result, Bafana is in second place in Group K, level on four points with table-toppers Uganda after two matches played. However, Broos is unimpressed with how his team is leaking goals. 

“We are conceding so many goals at the moment, ” the Belgian mentor noted. 

“There are some individual mistakes that happened, and I think there is also a lack of determination in our game so I will talk to the players now in camp. 

“We have to restore a little bit of what made us strong at the beginning of the year because the way we receive goals is too easy and it makes it difficult for us to win games because if you have to score three goals every time before you can win a game, it’s not good.” 

Broos has emphasized the importance of a strong defensive unit, challenging his charges to maintain the high standards he has set since he was appointed the national team head coach. 

“We have to come back to what we were before and try to be strong in defense,” he said. 

“It’s easier to reach the top than staying there, so we are now at a certain level, but we still need to progress and that’s the most difficult thing now. 

“You see the way we concede, we’ve spoken about how we receive goals, that has to change, you can’t receive three or two goals every game and have to score three or four goals before you win a game.” 

Furthermore, the 72-year-old coach believes his side is a victim of their success following a stellar display in the continental showpiece held in Ivory Coast where they clinched a bronze medal. “So, we have to restore that and that is because now we are on another level, teams are playing differently against us than [they did] one year ago because we were third in AFCON, we are the bronze medalists, ” Broos said. 

“Before it was South Africa, but now it’s more – it’s more difficult for us and that’s the step we have to make now, so let’s hope that we can make it.” 

Bafana will host Congo-Brazzaville at Nelson Mandela Bay stadium in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers on Friday, before travelling to Congo for the return leg on 15 October.