Coach Hugo Broos says Bafana Bafana are growing at Afcon
Bafana Bafana are growing at the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, according to coach Hugo Broos, and that spells danger for the rest of the quarter-finalists in the tournament.
South Africa stunned Africa’s top-ranked team Morocco 2-0 in the last 16 on Wednesday night to cap arguably the biggest upset of the tournament to date.
Goals from Evidence Makgopa in the 57th minute – after he beat the offside trap to steer home with the left foot – and a marvellous Teboho Mokoena direct free-kick in stoppage time did the trick for SA.
Morocco, meanwhile, hit the crossbar with a Achraf Hakimi penalty that would have made it 1-1 and also had Sofyan Amrabat red-carded in the incident that led to Mokoena’s free-kick, as they were frustrated by a Bafana team that executed Broos’ plan to perfection on the night.
Asked how he beat the World Cup semfinalists, Broos says: “I didn’t do it, the players did it. I just told the players what they have to do.
“We just hope that what we’re telling the players is the right thing. Up until now it’s been the right thing.“Also because the players did what we asked, they played disciplined. We knew we would have four or five, sometimes six chances against this team.
“And we had to use them and that was important – the few chances we had that we scored.”
Of Mokoena’s Man of the Match performance, Broos adds: “At the beginning of Afcon, it was very important that we grow in the tournament and I think South Africa grew in the tournament.
“It’s very important to keep growing...Performances
“Themba Zwane had two Man of the Match performances in a row and now Teboho Mokoena [got the award] – it means that we are playing good as a team and we also have players making a difference…”
Bafana face Cape Verde in the quarterfinals on Saturday, with the winners set to tackle the victors of the last-eight tie between Angola and Nigeria.
Afcon quarter-finals on Friday: Nigeria vs Angola (7pm), DR Congo vs Guinea (10pm)
Saturday: Mali vs Ivory Coast (7pm), Cape Verde vs South Africa (10pm)
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