Nothing has changed’: Hugo Broos confident despite FIFA blow ahead of Zimbabwe

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has shrugged off any talk of panic following the recent FIFA-imposed points deduction, insisting his team remains firmly on course to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in America.

The South African men’s national team have won four, drawn two and lost two of their eight World Cup qualifying matches — with one of those defeats coming via administrative error — and head into the final two encounters sitting second in their group.

Speaking ahead of Bafana’s decisive back-to-back fixtures on home soil, Broos said he was surprised by the sudden wave of doubt among supporters and pundits after South Africa were stripped of three points due to an administrative issue related to Teboho Mokoena’s ineligibility.

“I was disappointed when we knew that points would be deducted that some people started to doubt that we would qualify for America, I didn’t understand that,” said Broos.

“Because we were not beaten on the pitch, so we weren’t beaten directly by Lesotho or Nigeria. But if they beat us and people started doubting, then I would understand — this wasn’t the case.”

South Africa had looked well on course to top their group before the setback, but the deduction now means they need two strong results against Zimbabwe and Rwanda to regain control of their qualification path.

Broos, however, insisted that the situation has not altered their approach or confidence.

“How do we think now that these opponents are two times better than two months ago? They are the same,” he said.

“The only difference is if we hadn’t had points deducted, then we would qualify with the next win. But even with three points ahead, we have to win — and therefore nothing has changed.”

Bafana will host Zimbabwe at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Friday evening (6pm) before travelling to Mbombela to face Rwanda next Tuesday, with both matches carrying crucial implications for their qualification hopes.

The Belgian mentor believes his squad’s maturity and cohesion over the past few years have built a strong foundation for dealing with such adversity.

“I feel the group knows that they’re not worse off than two months ago — they’re still the same competitive team with the same mentality,” Broos said.

“When the game kicks off on Friday, we will be like lions, fighting for every ball in order for us to win that game. You can be sure of that.”

Broos’ words echo those of captain Ronwen Williams, who earlier in the week reminded the nation that Bafana’s recent progress — including their AFCON 2023 semi-final run — is proof of a team capable of handling pressure.

As the campaign enters its climax, Broos remains steadfast in his belief that qualification remains within reach — provided Bafana maintain their hunger and unity.

“When we step onto that field, we’ll fight like lions,” he reiterated. “Because qualifying for the World Cup is still in our hands.”