Despite receiving backlash from their previous 2-2 draw against Liberia, Bafana Bafana managed to qualify for the upcoming 2024 CAF African Cup of Nations tournament in Cote d’Ivoire.
The 1996 African champions silenced their doubters as they beat Liberia 2-1 on Tuesday evening away from home courtesy of goals from Zakhele Lepasa and Mihlali Mayambela.
The victory comes after their failure to win at Orlando Stadium last Friday where they allowed the Liberians to score two late goals in the 2-2 draw.
After the match, the Belgian manager Hugo Broos didn’t want to address the media but he later apologised for his tantrums.
Speaking after their match in Monrovia, coach praised his men as they fought hard to register the much-needed victory.
“It was a very tough game we knew it, the way Liberia plays its power play, not combination. I think we put the right players in the right place,” Broos told SABC Sport.
“And I’m very proud of the way they did it. They fought for it, I saw 90 minutes of perseverance, I mean we scored two times. I think it was difficult but I think we deserve it.
“We knew like I said it’s a power play how they play, from behind, the long ball and then they fight for it and I needed the guys who fight also,” he said.
“And I think with Maela behind, with Sithole in midfield, Mayambela is a big guy with power, I think we could do something and we did it.”
Broos, who won the 2016 AFCON with Cameroon, was reminded of his comments about failing to qualify and says the country can kill him if they don’t make it out the group stages.
“That’s what I meant at that moment, this is a country that normally should be every time at Afcon and I didn’t understand why they didn’t go the last years,” he added.
“So it was very important, we have a young team and international games are important to have international experience and also going to the biggest tournament of Africa.
“So we did it now, we can only progress in the next ten months with opponents we can learn something and get ready for Afcon. I will say what I said in the beginning, ‘you may kill me if we don’t go to Afcon’, I think you may kill me if we don’t go through the stages in Afcon next year.”
Main Image: Hugo Broos/Sports News Africa
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