Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos says he saw things in the 2-1 defeat to Panama that he didn’t know before the game.
Broos suffered his first defeat as Bafana head coach at home in his five years since his appointment as the national team were stunned by the Central Americans – who are ranked 20 places above South Africa.
In a sold out Cape Town Stadium, Mbekezile Mbokazi’s stunner wasn’t enough as Jose Cordoba and Jiovany Ramos scored on either side of his strike and the visitors were particularly dominant in winning their duels in the second half.
“The first half was good, three very open chances and didn’t score and in such a game can be crucial, in the second half we were overpowered by Panama, they had more power and speed in the team and made many difficulties and we couldn’t play our game,” he told SABC Sport after the game.
“I said before these two games, it would be a good test, we know what international football is and what football is from other continents, I’m very happy to have played Panama and we need to say what we didn’t do to win on Friday, Panama did today.”
Mbokazi, Relebohile Mofokeng, Jayden Adams, Bongokuhle Hlongwane all received starts in place of Khulumani Ndamane, Themba Zwane, Sphephelo Sithole and Oswin Appollis from the 1-1 draw in Durban on Friday.
“That was the goal of these games, to see some players, to see if we use them in future and some other changes [potentially] in positions and therefore again it was an interesting game for us and for me,” Broos continued.
“It will not make my choice easier but I saw some things I didn’t know before the game and that is very important.
“I think it’s the reason we had [Okon and Hlongwane] today to see them, I wanted to see them, you can only know their performances in the club, but this is different, interesting two games and we’ll see what we do for the future.”
