Broos: Sharpness has been a problem for us

by Staff Reporter

Wednesday Sep 11, 2024. 13:20

South Africa head coach Hugo Broos believes they will be in better shape to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations once the players get more games under their belt.

Broos had concerns that his team might struggle in their opening two Group K matches against Uganda and South Sudan as the Betway Premiership season has yet to get underway back home.

Bafana Bafana needed late goals to salvage something from both games after Thalente Mbatha scored a 95th-minute equaliser to earn a 2-2 draw with the Cranes on September 6 and repeated the feat on Monday to snatch a 3-2 victory against the Bright Stars.

Defensive mistakes could easily have led to Broos’ side suffering back-to-back defeats, with a goalkeeping blunder from Veli Mothwa resulting in Uganda’s second goal, while Siyabonga Ngezana was at fault for both of South Sudan’s goals.

However, the Belgian tactician believes his players will be much sharper for the double-header with Congo in October as South Africa’s top division is set to start this weekend.

“I think we’re in a good position [on the log], but again, I think the two games in October against Congo will be key,” he said. “Key games in that if we can have can at least four points or six that will be a good thing because we’ll still play at home [in the final qualifier in November] against South Sudan.

“I’m not saying we’ll win already before the game, but if you want to qualify you have to win your home matches. I think after that game if we have four or six against Congo, we can be qualified already. Next month is a very important one for us, with two very important games.

“We didn’t have the sharpness in our game. We had 80 per cent of the 23 players having played only friendly games because the season has not started in South Africa.

“When we had to play against these opponents, Uganda and South Sudan, who are aggressive and very dedicated, you have to be as sharp as they are. But that was not the case for South Africa.

“But the competition is starting in South Africa next week and in October we’ll be more sharper than we are now. That was my fear before these two games because I saw South Sudan play and I saw Uganda play. That was my fear, that we might we have the lack of sharpness, and it was like that.

“We’re lucky the good Lord was with us in these two games that we could score against Uganda after 94 minutes and today after 95.”