Hugo Broos’ bold call pays off as Bathusi Aubaas emerges as Bafana’s midfield anchor
AFCON
Substitute Bathusi Aubaas was one of Bafana Bafana's star performers against Zimbabwe on Monday evening in Morocco.
Image: Backpagepix
Bafana Bafana secured a dramatic 3-2 victory against neighbours Zimbabwe on Monday evening, in an electrifying Group B clash at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
The outcome propelled Bafana Bafana into the knockout stages, where they will face the second-placed team from Group F.
This will be either Cameroon, Ivory Coast, or Mozambique. This five-goal thriller showcased the resilience of the South African side, particularly after a strategic substitution proved to be a game-changer.
South African coach Hugo Broos made a pivotal decision at half-time, substituting Yaya Sithole for Bathusi Aubaas. The decision followed a frustrating first half, where Sithole had squandered two promising header opportunities — misses that cost Bafana crucial momentum leading into the second half.
With the match tied at 1-1 at the break, Broos expressed his dissatisfaction with Sithole’s performance, highlighting that the player was losing possession too easily and making poor decisions that hindered the team’s overall flow. His words underscored the high expectations placed upon the squad in a competitive tournament setting.
“Yaya lost the ball too easily, took the wrong decisions, and that was not good for our team,” Broos remarked post-match. “With Bathusi, we had more security when we lost the ball, but also when we had the ball.”
Aubaas’s introduction injected fresh energy into the squad, demonstrating greater pace and a sharp ability to retain possession. Indeed, Broos complimented Aubaas’s display, noting: “I think Bathusi did very well when he came in. We had more pace on the ball, and he was good at recovering and at passing. That helped us a lot.”
With this performance, Aubaas could land a starting XI berth in the Round of 16 clash. Broos, who remained cautious yet optimistic, stated: “I cannot tell you now if he [Aubaas] will play or not. We will see first who our opponents will be, but with the way Bathusi played in those 45 minutes, we can use him very well.”