The head coach of the Bafana Bafana of South Africa, Hugo Broos, asserts that the team will secure the only slot available from their group in the race to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
With the qualifiers set to restart in March, South Africa are currently second in the group, trailing leaders Rwanda on goal difference as both teams have seven points each. They are four points ahead of Nigeria, who are on three points and ranked 5th in the group.
Nigeria were expected to be the favorites from the group, but that hasn’t been the case, with the Super Eagles yet to secure a victory since the start of the qualifiers. This predicament has left them in a tough spot to qualify.
Broos, who led South Africa to an impressive campaign in the recently concluded AFCON Qualifiers—where they topped their group without suffering a single defeat—says their focus has now shifted to the World Cup qualifiers.
“It doesn’t mean that we have to now think that we are where we have to be. No. But little by little, we are developing into a very good team.
“And that will give us the confidence that we need for the next thing we have to do, which is qualify for the World Cup.
“But I’m confident that we can do it. I think, if SA can qualify for the World Cup, it is now because we have talent; we have a good team. We can do it. But we still have to do it.”
They will resume their campaign against Lesotho at home, while Nigeria will travel away to Rwanda when the games continue in March. Broos, however, anticipates a transformed Nigerian team compared to the one defeated 1-2 by Rwanda on Monday in the final game of the AFCON Qualifiers in Uyo.
