Broos bemoans Bafana's injured players

Bafana Bafana tactician Hugo Broos has bemoaned the absence of Themba Zwane, Teboho Mokoena and Bongokuhle Hlongwane from the side's two friendlies against Namibia and DR Congo.

The trio missed these two ties due to injuries. Despite avoiding a defeat in both games, Bafana's performances weren't eye-catching at all. SA beat Congo 1-0, courtesy of Lyle Foster's goal at Orlando Stadium on Tuesday, having played a scoreless stalemate versus Namibia at the same venue at the weekend.

"We knew that we'd have a little bit of a problem because Themba Zwane wasn't there, so we needed to find a solution...I can't say it was bad with Foster and Zakhele Lepasa [who alternated as secondary strikers, a role Zwane has excelled in at Bafana] but I don't think it was also good,'' Broos said.

"Having five, six best players injured is a bit too much. Mokoena and Hlongwane weren't there and other few [like Ronwen Williams, who despite being part of the squad never played because of illness against Congo]. We don't really have solutions at the moment to replace these players.''

Broos couldn't hide his disappointment that the Congolese outnumbered the South Africans in their backyard. The Belgian felt Congo's big crowd helped them play better than Bafana as they dominated.

"It's a little bit disappointing that again when you see today in the stadium there were more supporters from Congo than for us. I hope in the future that we will have more support,'' the Bafana coach said.

"You see today [Tuesday] also when you have the fans behind you what that can give. Congo believed even more, they grew in the game, they were supported. And we have some difficult moments. And then you need them [the fans]. Again they were not there or not enough."

Bafana's preparations for the World Cup qualifiers in November and the Africa Cup of Nations early next year in Ivory Coast will continue next month when they face Eswatini and Ivory Coast in friendlies home and away.