Hugo Broos opens up on his spying of Angola as Bafana Bafana seek to kick off 2025 AFCON on a high

Bafana Bafana will open their 2025 AFCON campaign against Angola on Monday in what promises to be a tense Group B encounter. 

South Africa will be targeting a winning start to place themselves in a strong position ahead of other group clashes against Egypt and Zimbabwe. 

Coach Hugo Broos has emphasised the importance of Bafana collecting maximum points in this opening fixture in a group that features both continental heavyweights and familiar COSAFA rivals. 

Bafana are bidding to lift the AFCON trophy for the first time since 1996, when they memorably won the tournament on home soil. 

Broos has been preparing his squad thoroughly for the challenge posed by the Palancas Negras. 

The Belgian has revealed that he has been closely studying Angola as he plots a strategy to outsmart their regional rivals.

Broos has explained that facing teams who play a different style of football may force adjustments, as he opens up on how he has studied Angola.

He says his final decisions hinge on which combination best suits his opponents according to what he has gathered about them.

“Surely [I have an idea of how the team will set up], we did the analysis of the opponents in the past weeks,” said Broos as per iDiski Times.

“I have an idea but as you know the team won’t be changed a lot if you compare it with the previous matches.    

“But again, maybe will be some changes because they are opponents that play another football than African football if I can put it like that.    

“So, we have to be aware of that and the qualities. I think we will have to see which team is the best to start on the day.”

With expectations high on Bafana at AFCON, Broos has refused to mention his team as tournament favourites.

“I think it's always very dangerous to put yourself as a favorite. I think this is something media has to be done by media or by supporters,” Broos said.

“The only thing I can say is that this AFCON will be tougher than the one in Ivory Coast.

“And you know why? Because I don't think that the big countries will make the same mistake like they did in Ivory Coast.

“As you remember, many big countries were not qualified or were soon out of the tournament. I think of Egypt, I think of Cameroon, I think of Ghana, Morocco, and so on," added the Belgian.

“This will not happen now. I think they learned their lesson last AFCON.”

The Bafana coach insists the tournament will only get tougher once the heavyweight nations advance beyond the group stages. 

He instead tipped hosts Morocco as the leading contenders, citing their quality players and home advantage. 

Broos added that opinions could shift after the group phase, but for now he is adamant that South Africa should not be counted among the favourites.

“So that means that normally, but what is normally in a tournament like this, but normally all the big teams will be there after the group stages,” Broos said. 

“So that means it will be very tough to win this AFCON. So I will not tell you that South Africa is favourite. 

“I think if you can say your favourite then it's Morocco. Because Morocco is a very good team and he's playing at home.

“We will see already after the group stages which teams are still there and then maybe we can change our opinion,” the former Cameroon coach concluded. 

“But now for the moment you will not hear me saying that South Africa is one of the favourites.”