South Africa coach Hugo Broos has warned Bafana Bafana must earn their qualification the hard way when they face already-eliminated Zimbabwe in a crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Friday.
Bafana, who are tied on 14 points with Benin but trail on goal difference, are desperate for victory to stay in contention ahead of their final group match against Rwanda at the Mbombela Stadium on Tuesday.
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Despite Zimbabwe sitting bottom of the group with just four points, Broos warned that his side should not expect any favours from their southern neighbours.
“I think this game is one of the most important matches in the past 24 or 25 years,” Broos said at Thursday’s pre-match press conference in Durban.
“A victory gives us a big chance to qualify, but a defeat means we can stop dreaming. Zimbabwe have always been a tough opponent and will be no different this time.”
Broos noted that Zimbabwe’s determination to host the fixture outside South Africa showed its intent to make things difficult for Bafana.
“They are very motivated, we don’t expect favours from them. When a team that played its previous four home games in South Africa suddenly wants to play in Botswana, that tells you everything,” he added.
“But we don’t need favours. We believe in ourselves and want to win this match correctly.”
The Belgian coach praised his players’ attitude in training, expressing confidence in their readiness for the high-stakes encounter.
“The boys are very motivated and understand the importance of this game. What I’ve seen in training over the past three days makes me happy and confident we can do the job,” Broos said.
He added that a win on Friday could ease the pressure going into the final qualifier against Rwanda.
“If we win and God is with us, the last match might be different, maybe we won’t even need to win again. But our focus is on doing the job tomorrow.”
Lyle Foster is expected to lead South Africa’s attack, while Zimbabwe goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze said the Warriors would use their remaining qualifiers as part of preparations for the AFCON finals in Morocco.
Looking ahead to December’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Group B meeting with Zimbabwe in Morocco, Broos said his team’s mentality remains focused on winning every game.
“Every match we play, we want to win, that’s the mentality we have. I’m confident we can beat Zimbabwe because the team has the right attitude for such games, not just because we are a good team,” he said.
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