South Africa's return to the world stage was ruined on Thursday night as they slumped to a 2-0 defeat against World Cup co-hosts Mexico at the iconic Azteca Stadium. Despite the backlash regarding a perceived negative tactical setup, the captain has jumped to the defence of the Belgian coach.

The stage was set at a packed Mexico City stadium, where Hugo Broos' men were handed the opportunity to turn World Cup dreams into reality. However, what promised to be a historic occasion quickly turned into a sobering one for Bafana Bafana, as they fell short against an inspired El Tri side that seized control of the spectacle and fed off the energy of their passionate home support.

All the details of the match between Javier Aguirre's El Tri and Hugo Broos' Bafana Bafana in Group A. 16 years ago these two sides played to a 1-1 draw in the opening match of the 2010 tournament in South Africa. Much has changed since then but one thing remains the same, both teams will be looking to start the quadrennial showpiece with a win.

The stage is set for Hugo Broos' men to pen a new chapter in Mzansi folklore when they lock horns with Mexico at the iconic Estadio Azteca on Thursday evening. With the global showpiece finally upon them and the co-hosts standing in their way, Bafana will be eager to hit the ground running despite a tense build-up that has intensified the spotlight on their attacking department. Among those expected to shoulder the goalscoring burden is the former Orlando Pirates striker, with the 25-year-old tasked with leading the line and providing the cutting edge needed to fire Broos' charges to a dream start on the world stage.

The Bafana captain has issued a glowing assessment of South Africa's goalkeeping options as the nation prepares for its World Cup opener. The Mamelodi Sundowns star believes the country is finally reaping the rewards of a talented generation of netminders who have proven their worth on the domestic and continental stage.