Broos Praises Tactical Mastery In World Cup Qualifiers Over Benin
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos praised his players’ tactical discipline, noting their patience in exploiting openings against Benin on Tuesday.
Bafana Bafana secured a 2-0 victory over Benin in their 2026 FIFA World Cup Group C qualifying match, held at the neutral venue of Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan.
Despite Bafana Bafana’s dominance, the breakthrough came later in the match. Lyle Foster’s precise toe poke past JDR Stars goalkeeper Soukè Marcel Dandjinou eight minutes into the second half gave them the lead. Jayden Adams then sealed the win with a header six minutes from time, connecting with Oswin Appollis’s free kick.
This victory, Bafana Bafana’s fourth in six qualifying matches and their second in the March FIFA window, extends their lead at the top of Group C to 13 points, five points ahead of second-placed Rwanda, who drew with Lesotho.
“I think, first of all, it was a good analysis of the opponents, so congratulations to our analysis [team], and secondly, I think the players did what we asked them,” he said.
“We knew where we could be dangerous against this team of Benin, which is a good team. But what we did very well today was keeping the ball and waiting for the right moments.
“In the first half, Benin could have done something, but in the second half, with the weather very hot, they grew tired at a certain moment, and it started to be easier for us.
“We could have scored more and once we could score for the second time, and I said on the bench to my assistants, if we score once, we will win the game, and I think it was a game like that.
“Benin was not capable of doing anything, except the little chance they had in the first half, but apart from that, I think we dominated the game, and we deserved to win.”
Broos also addressed Percy Tau’s performance, marking his 50th appearance for Bafana Bafana. Tau, however, struggled to make a significant impact and was substituted in the 76th minute, replaced by Adams, who subsequently scored.
“Percy was meant to operate between the lines,” Broos explained.
“And they started marking him, it was not the game we expected from him. We expected to see a Percy to make more performance, unfortunately we could not get it. But I can encourage him that he played well.”
The World Cup qualifiers resume in September, with Bafana Bafana facing Lesotho and Nigeria in South Africa. Two more wins in those matches, depending on other group results, would significantly boost their chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Mexico, and Canada.
