What makes the defeat even more difficult to stomach is that Cameroon were there for the taking.
Let’s not sugar-coat it, Bafana Bafana’s 2–1 defeat to Cameroon at the Africa Cup of Nations was entirely self-inflicted. Hugo Broos and his technical team got it wrong on a night when the stakes were high.
No second chances
In a knockout match, there are no second chances, and yet he experimented with his line-up and formation. At this level, experimentation has no place and your best players must be on the pitch, full stop.
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Instead, Broos overthought the moment, tinkered with his team for the last-16 clash against the Indomitable Lions, and paid the price for it. The gamble backfired badly and from the opening whistle, the decision to bench Aubrey Modiba in favour of Samukelo Kabini was baffling.
Kabini was not helped by being thrown into such a high-pressure environment, but the responsibility lies squarely with the coaching staff. It was clear almost immediately that the occasion had overwhelmed him when he blasted his shot over the bar early in the match.
Broos may argue that Bafana created three chances in the first half, but in tournament football, almost counts for nothing. Leaving one of your most dependable performers on the bench for 60 minutes while chasing the game is poor game management.
Bafana changes too late
Predictably, Bafana only looked like a functioning team once changes were made in the 63rd minute, with Modiba and Evidence Makgopa introduced. By then, Cameroon were already in control, and South Africa were chasing a game they had no business making so difficult for themselves.
Worse still, the changes came too late as Bafana were again punished early in the second half, and that was the moment for decisive intervention, but Broos hesitated. What makes the defeat even more difficult to stomach is that Cameroon were there for the taking. They were organised but ordinary, content to defend deep and counter, yet Bafana failed to impose themselves.
While Broos deserves recognition for steering South Africa towards qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, losing in this manner is unacceptable. Constantly changing personnel and the shape erodes identity.
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Compared to the side that claimed bronze in Côte d’Ivoire three years ago, this team was unrecognisable. The AFCON campaign in Morocco must be labelled a failure. If Broos does not rein in his erratic selections, he risks undoing much of the good work and turning a promising era into a missed opportunity.
