Broos Warns Bafana: This AFCON Will Be Much Tougher
Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has reiterated that the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will be far tougher for his side than it was two years ago.
Broos said South Africa travelled to the delayed 2023 AFCON in Ivory Coast, which was played in 2024, with little expectation after having missed the 2022 tournament in Cameroon.
At last year’s AFCON, Bafana Bafana lost their opening group match to Mali before thrashing neighbours Namibia and then drawing with Tunisia to progress to the knockout stages.
They went on to reach the semi-finals, where they lost to Nigeria on penalties, before securing the bronze medal.
Bafana, who will face a Ghana side made up largely of fringe players at Dobsonville Stadium on Tuesday afternoon, are preparing for what Broos believes will be a much tougher AFCON, with several nations now tipping South Africa as potential winners.
“I already told the players that our status is a little bit different from the previous AFCON,” said Broos.
“At the last AFCON, we were one of the underdogs. Maybe today we are one of the teams that can win the AFCON, and that means our opponents will have a different mindset when they play against us compared to two years ago.
“We have to be prepared for that. I’m not nervous because I believe in this team. Even with some new and young players, I know what we are capable of.”
Bafana Bafana have been drawn in Group B alongside Angola, Egypt and Zimbabwe. They will open their campaign against Angola on 22 December, with Broos stressing the importance of avoiding a slow start like the defeat to Mali in 2024.
“I know how good we are. We just have to focus in the coming days and make sure we have a good start, unlike two years ago,” he added.
“The difference now is that we play our first game against Angola, and then against the favourites in the group, Egypt.
“Imagine if you don’t win against Angola, then you go into the Egypt match with a knife to your neck, and that is something we have to avoid at all costs.
“We have to be ready from the first minute, and I am sure we will be. Two years ago, against Mali, we were confronted with something we didn’t know – power.
“We were not prepared for what Mali did in the second half. They took us apart. But if you look at the progression of Bafana Bafana over the last two years, and the match against Nigeria in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers in September, you can see that we can also deal with power and resist it.
“That means we don’t have to be afraid of this AFCON. I’ve heard some countries saying South Africa can win it. Compared to two years ago, this AFCON will be much tougher, but we are ready for the challenge.”
