Durban — Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos was left a “happy coach” following his team’s 4-0 thrashing of Sierra Leone on Saturday but he wants them to maintain their current form in front of goal when they host Botswana at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on Tuesday.
While the game is nothing more than a friendly, it will serve as vital experimentation and practice for Bafana Bafana ahead of the resumption of their Afcon 2023 qualification campaign that resumes early in 2023.
“The negativity around Bafana Bafana was so big that we really needed a win. What was important is not only the performance on the pitch but also the chances we had and the goals we scored. We won a lot of confidence. I hope that the team will do the same on Tuesday. It is not enough but we will be happy if we can win against Botswana. I expect the same level of performance from the players,” said Broos.
Speaking after the game, Broos also paid tribute to Themba Zwane, who notched a brace upon his return to the national team. It was previously thought that Zwane was frozen out by the national team coach Broos, who aimed to mould his side around younger talent who are mainly below the age of 30. While Zwane’s performance should cement his place in the national team for now, it can also potentially open the doors to the national team for other senior players in the DStv Premiership to play for the national team.
“I’m not a coach who gives special mentions. What Zwane did today was great. Hopefully it was the missing link in our team. He can keep the ball, give passes and score. My philosophy is first to look at youngsters and then see. I am not afraid to change my mind and Themba has shown that he deserves his place in the team. Ten minutes before the end of the game, the captain (Ronwen Williams) offered to be substituted and this proves the friendship that exists in the team,” added Broos.
By beating Sierra Leone, Bafana also ended a run of two competitive defeats and four games without a win. As Cosafa Cup fixtures fall outside the Fifa calendar, the result marked Bafana Bafana’s first competitive win since the start of 2022. Their previous competitive win was when they beat Zimbabwe 1-0 in November 2021.
IOL Sport