It goes without saying that since head coach Hugo Broos took over the Bafana Bafana hot seat in May 2021, South Africa has become a force to be reckoned with on the African continent.
One of the highlights was when Bafana beat Fifa World Cup semi-finalists Morocco twice – first in the qualifiers of the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) and later eliminating them in the round of 16 of the Afcon in Ivory Coast earlier this year.
Broos went on to guide Bafana to a famous third-place finish at the Afcon and walked away with a bronze medal – their first podium finish in the competition in 24 years.
Bafana await a tough Congo Brazzaville test when they resume their 2025 Afcon qualifiers Group K encounters at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Friday and next week Tuesday.
However, in their last two games against Uganda and South Sudan, Bafana produced scrappy performances – where they conceded four goals in their 2-2 draw and 3-2 win against Uganda and South Sudan, respectively.
Reminiscing about his time in SA, Broos said Bafana had reached a high level but had to do better to ensure they maintain it. “In the beginning, my time here was very exhausting because not everyone understood what I was doing. I was a bit stubborn and did what I had to do without listening to other people except Helman Mkhalele (assistant coach),” Broos said.
“But we will not progress if we concede goals the way we did against Uganda and South Sudan – and that must change. So, we must restore that discipline in our defence again.
“But that is happening because we are at a high level and teams are now playing differently against us because of what we achieved at the Afcon, and we have to take the step of trying to maintain our level and I hope we will make it,” he said.
Ahead of the Congo back-to-back matches, Broos welcomed his captain and goalkeeper Ronwen Williams back to the team, which saw Veli Mothwa lose his place following a string of costly errors.
Another notable absentee in the final 23-man squad is Al Ahly star Percy Tau, who is said to have requested not to be called up because of personal reasons.
“Percy said to me ‘Coach, please don’t call me. I’m not ready to come because of personal issues.’ Maybe he has to look for another team where he will be happier and where there are fewer problems,” Broos added.
Midfielder Luke Le Roux also made his return to the Bafana squad after their 2-1 win over Morocco in 2023 at the FNB Stadium, while Orlando Pirates defender Thabiso Sesane earned himself his first Bafana Bafana call-up. Sesane replaces Siyabonga Ngezana who is out due to a muscle injury.
Despite the recent concerns about the lack of game time Teboho Mokoena and Khuliso Mudau have been getting at Mamelodi Sundowns, Broos included the duo in his team.
“It may not be a problem now that Teboho and Khuliso are not playing but should this situation persist, then we will have a serious problem. But, at the same time, I need to respect the decision made by the Sundowns coach [Manqoba Mngqithi] because he has his reasons,” the Belgian grey head added.
Bafana currently occupy the second position in Group K with four points after two games. They are equal on points with Uganda – who sit on top of the group due to a better goal difference.
Congo are right on Bafana’s heels on number three with three points. The Congolese are known for their physicality and tactical discipline, which will present a significant challenge for Bafana.
