Bafana Bafana coach Broos hits out at referee after Ghana defeat

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos felt his side were given the short end of the stick by referee Maguette Ndiaye during Sunday's 1-0 loss to Ghana in a World Cup qualifier at the Cape Coast Stadium.

Broos has only been with the South African side for three months, and had mixed emotions about their elimination, having come so close - both teams ended the campaign with 13 points and Ghana went through on goals scored, after the two teams finished level on goal difference.

"First of all I congratulate Ghana for the qualification for the next round," Broos told the media after the match.

"At the other side I have to congratulate my players because we played a very difficult game in difficult circumstances.

"We played against an opponent who was very aggressive. And the referee allowed them to play like that. He allowed it less for us. So it was difficult for us to have a good result here," the Belgian continued.

"But when you see what we did in the last three months, I am very proud about my team."

Certainly Bafana Bafana are in a better place than they were under previous coach Molefi Ntseki, although there will remain a feeling of what could have been in terms of their now dashed hopes of reaching the World Cup in Qatar next year.

"When you asked before the qualifiers what South Africa would do, nobody would tell you that we would be first in the group, before the last game," Broos said.

"There is a team in South Africa again and that's very important.

"Again, I'm really not happy with the referee, [he] let Ghana play in an aggressive way. I've nothing against that, but it has to be for both sides, and that was not the case."

Regarding the penalty, awarded by Ndiaye for a supposed push by Mamelodi Sundowns defender Rushine De Reuck on Daniel Amartey, Broos was unsure, when asked immediately after the match, if it was the right call.

"I don't know what happened there. Suddenly there was a player, on the ground. I don't know what happened...did there happen something or not, I don't know, I couldn't see it. But I saw my players were surprised that the referee had whistled the penalty."

Replays failed to show any conclusive evidence that De Reuck had fouled the Leicester City player.