Wednesday, November 6, 2024
HomeBafana BafanaBroos Sends Message To SAFA After Gqeberha Mania

Broos Sends Message To SAFA After Gqeberha Mania

Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has called on the South African Football Association (SAFA) and those responsible to avoid from what transpired at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

South Africa matched their biggest-ever win with the 5-0 drubbing over Congo Brazzaville on Friday evening in a memorable clash in Gqeberha as close to 40,000 supporters packed the arena.

Broos’ boys did the talking on the field with Teboho Mokoena bagging a brace, Bathusi Aubaas, Lyle Foster and Iqraam Rayners all finding the net, but the fixture could have marred due to lack of security when three supporters invaded the pitch amidst the euphoria.

“I was very happy to see the crowd when I came in, but I was not so happy after 20 minutes because we could have stopped the game, and that would have been a disaster,” Broos said about the incident as the referee halted the game for over 20 minutes.

“I think in the future and it’s not up to us, as a coach I think I have to ask SAFA, when they choose a stadium, they are sure of the security of the stadium, so I can’t understand that before the break, it’s an example, I see ten security guys, but after the break, there’s 50.

“Where were they from the beginning of the game? We’re playing an important game and you shouldn’t have problems, there were two young kids with enthusiasm and happiness, they ran on the field and nobody did anything.

“There wasn’t even security running after those guys, so this is something we have to take into account in the next games where we play, I’ve always been asking for a crowd and then that happens. Maybe next time we will say it’s better to not have a crowd. That’s ridiculous what I’m saying but yeah, we have to be prepared for a crowd, with security for everyone.

“Imagine 10 players invaded the pitch, and the game was heavy and two or three fools attacked the players of Congo? So yeah let’s hope this doesn’t happen anymore, and SAFA and all the rest prepare better for a game like this when they want a crowd, I want it too but there needs to be security.”

Bafana can secure their place at Morocco 2025 with two games to spare in their Group K Africa Cup of Nations qualifying group should they beat Congo on Tuesday in Brazzaville.

Lorenz Kohler
Lorenz Kohler
Lorenz Köhler is an award-winning South African football journalist. Having cut his teeth in the industry working at Kick-Off Magazine, he is now iDiski Times' senior digital content writer. He specialises in breaking top African football stories and transfers with a major focus on the 'big-three' Mamelodi Sundowns, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates and CAF inter-club and international competitions. In 2021 he was listed amongst the top-five journalists under 30 in Print Media for the AIPS Awards.
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