Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos says the Lord was on their side with Thalente Mbatha’s two stoppage-time goals in the space of four days.
Broos lamented their lack of sharpness in their opening two Group K qualifiers for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
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South Africa secured a last-gasp draw with Mbatha netting in the 95th minute against Uganda in the 2-2 scoreline, and the winner in the 3-2 win over SOuth Sudan in Juba on Tuesday afternoon.
“We don’t have enough sharpness in our game because of the [players] lack of competitive games, 80% of my team of the 23 players, only played friendly games because the [league] didn’t start in South Africa,” he said.
“So when we play Uganda and South Sudan, who are very aggressive, very dedicated on the field, you have to be as sharp as they are, and that’s not the case at the moment for South Africa.
“Next weekend the competition begins in South Africa, and in October we will be sharper [for the next games]. It was my fear for these two games, I saw South Sudan and Uganda, and it was a fear we had a lack of sharpness and yeah it was like that.
“We’re lucky that the good Lord was with us in those two games, that we scored in the 94th and today in the 95th minute.”
The Belgian who led Bafana to third place at the 2023 AFCON in Ivory Coast denied the Cranes 2-0 win over Congo Brazzaville, with whom they will face home and away next month adding further pressure on them.
“No I think we’re first with Uganda on four points, Congo has three points, so I think we’re in a good position, but I think the two games in October against Congo will be key games, key games in the way that, if we can have at least four points from six, that should be a very good thing,” Broos stated.
“Because then we have South Sudan at home, I don’t say we will win before a game, but if you want to qualify [for AFCON] you need to win your home games, and I think after that games, if we have four from six, we can be qualified already. So next month is very important with two important games.”
