Bafana have that indomitable spirit about them, says Broos

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has compared his side’s spirit to that of the Cameroon side he coached to Africa Cup of Nations glory in 2017. 

At a time when South Africans have zero confidence in Bafana, Broos, who has been the team’s mentor for two years, seems encouraged by the team’s new attitude. He saw this in their preparations for Friday's match against Liberia at the Orlando Stadium (6pm). Bafana’s newfound spirit reminds him of an element his Cameroon team that won the Afcon had. 

“In training, I see all 23 players are motivated,” Broos told the media. “When we had tactical training (with the squad split into two), we asked the other team to play like Liberia, and they did it and we did not have someone who did not do what I asked or try to prove how good they are. Everybody is working toward the same goal and therefore I’m happy about that.  

“When the players felt they wouldn’t be playing on Friday, the training was still good. That means that they are not disappointed but they are happy to be here and I can count on them if I need to change some things.  

“This is a big strength of the team, when I compare it with Cameroon, it was one of the reasons we won the Afcon. All those guys who were there on the bench knew they were there for one goal, if I needed them, they were ready. I also have that feeling,” he said.

Against all odds, Broos led the Indomitable Lions to glory in Gabon 2017, doing so with a relatively young team, which had been written off before the tournament even began because the Belgian could not secure big names, such Joel Matip and Benoît Assou-Ekotto. 

Bafana will be hoping to be the second team after Morocco to qualify in Group K. The Fifa World Cup semi-finalist got their qualification after collecting six points in their opening matches against Liberia and SA. The three-team group has made the pathway to Ivory Coast easier for SA, they need four points to secure their place in next year’s tournament.