Coach confident South Africa can challenge Egypt in Group B clash
Hugo Broos says Bafana Bafana are confident they can challenge Egypt in a crucial Afcon clash despite the Pharaohs’ star-studded squad.
Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos is well aware of the ‘amazing’ players that Group B opponents Egypt have.
The Citizen reports that his side still believe they can give the Pharaohs a run for their money when the two teams meet in Agadir on Boxing Day.
“We all know what kind of team Egypt is,” Broos told the pre-match press conference yesterday.
“They are seven-time Afcon winners with amazing players like [Mohamed] Salah and [Omar] Marmoush. We know them well but we are confident and looking forward to playing the game.”
Bafana’s steady rise under Broos
The improvement Bafana have shown since Broos took over as head coach in May 2021 has been remarkable.
Under the experienced Belgian, Bafana finished third at the last Afcon, including a stunning 2-0 win over Morocco in the last 16.
They then qualified for both this Africa Cup of Nations and the 2026 Fifa World Cup. The last team to beat Bafana was Mali in the opening match of the last Afcon. Since then, Bafana have gone 26 matches unbeaten. Their Afcon semi-final loss to Nigeria was decided on penalties, which Fifa classifies as a draw.
Bafana have achieved this largely with a squad made up of locally based players, accustomed to competing against sides filled with Europe-based stars.
Group B showdown looms
Bafana opened the current Afcon in Morocco with a 2-1 win over Angola in Marrakech. Egypt also began with a 2-1 win over Zimbabwe, making today’s match one that could decide who tops Group B.
‘A very important match’
“It was very important to win the first game,” added Broos.
“We didn’t want to be in a situation where we started the Egypt game with a knife at our throats, having to win.
“That doesn’t mean we don’t want to win. If we win [today], it is the same for Egypt, we qualify for the next round. So it is a very important match for both of us. If we could win, it would be a very good thing for us to play our last game against Zimbabwe without pressure.”
Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel.
Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal.
