Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has pleaded with his players to keep their feet firmly on the ground because they still have a long way to go in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign.
South Africa produced a brilliant second-half performance to beat neighbours Zimbabwe 3-1 in a Group C qualifier at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein, last night.
Bafana Bafana are now second in their group with seven points, the same number of points as group leaders Rwanda who have a superior goal difference. After four matches, the group is still wide open, with third-placed Benin also on seven points.
Broos made only one change to the team that drew 1-all with Nigeria in Uyo on Friday evening. 22-year-old Oswin Appolis took the place of the injured Percy Tau.
On the other hand, Zimbabwe made six changes to the team that lost to Lesotho in their previous match.
It was a dream start for the home side as they took the lead in the opening minute of the match. But bottom-of-the-group Zimbabwe, who started with four overseas-based players, struck back immediately with England-based Tawanda Chirewa equalizing for the Warriors.
Bafana Bafana showed a lot of improvement in the second half with substitute Thapelo Morena scoring a brace. Despite a comfortable 3-1 win against their neighbours, coach Hugo Broos says the road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup is still a long and hard journey.
“Still a long way to go there are still six games so there’s a lot to lose but also a lot to win so at the moment I think we are on schedule, we win our games at home that is very important so let’s go on like this and I think if we can go on like this there’s a big chance we can qualify also,”
Bafana Bafana’s World Cup qualifiers on track:
Broos admits that the match against Zimbabwe was not a walk in the park and there’s lots of room for improvement.
“There was frustration because we started very well very soon in the first half 1-0 but after two minutes it was 1-1. We were a little bit shaken by the goal of Zimbabwe. We went too much down. So, we gave them space a few times, very dangerous. So, we corrected some few things after half time and you saw another South African team in the second half with good football, many chances and I think we deserve the victory,” says the coach.
This was Bafana Bafana’s first match in the Free State capital in 14 years. The last time Bafana Bafana played at this venue was when they beat former world champions France in their third and final group match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the last World Cup Bafana played in.
And SAFA President Danny Jordaan says South Africa deserve to be there again in 2026 when it is hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
“Wonderful celebration. It reminds us of the World Cup (against) France. We won here 2-1, England/Germany here, wonderful match and tonight, we are going to be a serious contender for qualification for the World Cup in 2026. I just want to say well done to the team, and the coach. We are now marching to the next step.”
Bafana Bafana played in front of a near capacity crowd in Bloemfontein. And man of the match, Thapelo Morena, a former Bloemfontein Celtic player had special praise for football supporters in the Free State.
“I would like to thank God. I would like to thank the technical team for believing in me to help the team change the game and it feels great especially after so long being in Bloem. We’ve done it for them because it’s been a long one not having a team and thanks also to the supporters.”
Bafana Bafana’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign will resume in March next year with a home game against Lesotho. If they win their group, they’ll be guaranteed to be one of at least nine teams from the African continent at the 2026 tournament.
Bafana Bafana beat Zimbabwe 3-1:
