Bafana Bafana put on a show at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium yesterday, 15 November, beating their opponents Zambia 3-1, with Zambia’s consolation goal coming in the final minute.
Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos commended the Nelson Mandela Bay crowd for their ability to create an enjoyable atmosphere for his team, making this his second consecutive win at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium since taking the helm.
“Although the stadium was not full today, the atmosphere was there. As a player, you like to play for a full stadium because it motivates you and gives you energy. So I am very happy that the South African crowd continues to support us. The atmosphere is very good, and they like watching us. Going forward, I hope to see more support from the nation,” Broos said.
Bafana Bafana captain and Gqeberha-born star Ronwen Williams told PE Express that it was intense leading up to the game, and that the team would give their absolute best to come out victorious in their fixture against Zambia. “We have built a solid team over the years and the intensity leading up to this game has been high. We could have relaxed as this is a friendly game, and of course we qualified for the World Cup, but the intensity was still there.”
At last year’s press conference, Broos said that his goal for the team was to qualify for the World Cup 2026, which his team achieved.
Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos said that he was glad he was able to give minutes of playing time to some players ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations tournament to be held in Morocco next month.
Speaking to PE Express during his recent visit to Gqeberha, Broos reflected on his team’s historic World Cup qualification achievement. “Last time we were in this city, it was a fantastic night. We wanted to qualify for the World Cup, myself along with the players. We are very happy now that we can go to the World Cup in seven months,” he said.
The qualification marks the team’s first appearance at the global tournament since 2002, ending a 22-year absence from football’s biggest stage. With their World Cup dream now realised, Broos indicated that the team’s immediate focus has shifted to the Africa Cup of Nations, which takes place next month in Morocco.
“I see now that people love Bafana Bafana and are more enthusiastic about their national team. It is understandable that the nation was not happy that their team did not qualify for the World Cup or do well in the AFCON. Now that we are there, this is not the finish line for us. We have to analyse how we can make it in the next World Cup after this one. We have worked hard the past four years to get here, but we need to replicate that hard work in the upcoming years,” Broos said.
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