Bafana Bafana's Coach Shares Heartache After Zimbabwe Draw

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos sounded dejected in post-match press conference

After a disappointing performance against Zimbabwe in their FIFA World Cup qualifying match at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday, coach Hugo Broos expressed his sadness, labeling the evening as a "sad evening" for his team.

Despite governing the match, Bafana Bafana could not find the back of the net, hitting the woodwork twice—once by Mohau Nkota in the first half and once by Lyle Foster in the second half—resulting in a goalless draw.

The match saw both teams reduce to 10 players as Knowledge Musona received a red card for Zimbabwe, while Mbekezeli Mbokazi was sent off for Bafana Bafana, leaving him sidelined for Tuesday’s important fixture against Rwanda at Mbombela Stadium.

In unfortunate news for South Africa, Benin managed a 1-0 victory over Rwanda in Kigali, accumulating 17 points from nine matches, placing them two points ahead of South Africa at the top of Group C.

“We had no luck, especially in the second half. We were fighting against a team that fought for every ball,” said Broos in his post-game comments.

“Now, we don’t have it in our hands anymore. It’s still possible, but after this result, it’s much more difficult. Maybe with a little miracle on Tuesday, we can still qualify.

“It’s not completely lost, but it’s out of our hands. Let’s see what happens between Benin and Nigeria. It won’t be easy — but it’s still possible. It’s a sad evening for us.”

With a must-win match against Rwanda ahead, Bafana Bafana will also be reliant on Nigeria, who triumphed over Lesotho on Friday, to secure a win against Benin on Tuesday to maintain South Africa’s hopes for qualification.

Only group winners will automatically qualify for the FIFA World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the USA, while the four best runners-up will enter a playoff round for a second opportunity.