Hugo Broos raises red flag as Bafana Bafana’s inability to control matches emerges as a growing concern in the Afcon

Bafana Bafana began the clash on a high note, opening the scoring inside seven minutes as Lyle Foster teed up Tshepang Moremi to find the back of the net. However, after setting the tone with a bright display, Hugo Broos’ men were caught napping, allowing Tawanda Maswanhise to pull one back for the Warriors.

The second half followed a similar pattern, with South Africa reclaiming the lead before Zimbabwe cancelled it out following an error from Bafana left-back Aubrey Modiba. However, the Mzansi side regained the upper hand after being awarded a penalty, which sealed a 3–2 victory.

This performance has left the 73-year-old coach increasingly concerned, as his side has continuously failed to maintain consistency over the full 90 minutes throughout the group-stage matches.

Speaking to the media, Broos voiced his dissatisfaction with the performance, stressing that there will be no room for such mistakes in the Round of 16.

“This is something I am worried about because it happened again in this game and against Angola. Even in the first half against Egypt, we were soft and weak, we were not determined in duels, and there was not aggression,” Broos said as per TimesLive.

“We started with aggression in the first 20 minutes against Zimbabwe, but we took the foot off the pedal and gave the opportunity to the opponent to get back in the game.

“We must learn to have concentration because it is either Ivory Coast or Cameroon in the next round, and we can’t play like that against them. If we do that, we have no chance to win that game.”

“I am not happy with the performance and the way some players are acting on the pitch. This is something we have to work on. It was there from the beginning of the tournament," he added.

Broos further highlighted that his side is no longer considered underdogs, stressing that they will need to fight for every ball and remain focused throughout each encounter, which will be key if Bafana are to progress deeper into the tournament.

“We have to know the progression we have made over the past two to three years does not mean you will come to the pitch and win the game. I said it before the tournament, this is going to be tougher than the one in the Ivory Coast," Broos explained.

“This is because everybody knows we are a good team, and the mindset of the opponent is totally different. We have to adapt, knowing it is not going to be easy for us anymore.

“We have to play every game with 100% of our talents and qualities. If we don’t do that, we are always going to be in trouble. It is not like you are South Africa, and teams are afraid of you. They are trying to beat you.

“You have to fight more, concentrate more, be more focused, and not thinking it is going to be easy like we did after 20 minutes against Zimbabwe. Something we have to know is if you want to go far in this tournament, this is the mentality we need.

“Because if we don’t, it will be finished quickly,” he ended. 

Mzansi now enters a crucial stage of the tournament, where every pass, tackle, and decision counts and there are no second chances. Broos will have to light a fire under his squad, demanding sharper intensity and tactical discipline as they navigate the knockouts. This phase could see a shake-up in the starting eleven, giving game time to players who have yet to leave their mark in the Nations Cup campaign. With the pressure ramping up, every player will need to bring their A-game if Bafana are to punch above their weight and make a serious run in the tournament.