Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos described Friday night as a “very sad night” for his team after they failed to secure a vital win against Zimbabwe, missing a huge opportunity to regain the initiative in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying group.
South Africa was unable to find a breakthrough in what was nominally an “away” game for them, held at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban because Zimbabwe does not have a venue fit for international football.
Read: Bafana Bafana Held by 10-Man Zimbabwe
Despite playing in front of a packed, supportive crowd, the final score was a frustrating goalless draw. The best chance came just before halftime when Mohau Nkota hit the post, as the resilient Zimbabwean side successfully “rode their luck.”
This disappointment was compounded by news from the other group fixture: Benin secured a 1-0 victory over Rwanda in Kigali. This result moves Benin to 17 points after nine matches, putting them two points clear of South Africa at the top of Group C.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, a clearly dejected Hugo Broos reflected on the difficult result.
“I think you understand tonight is a very sad night for us,” he stated. “We knew the match would be tough and difficult, but even, I think we had chances to score. We played against a motivated team who fought for every metre, for every ball.”
Must-Win Game
The focus immediately shifts to their final, must-win fixture against Rwanda on Tuesday. Even a victory, however, may not be enough to secure the top spot, as Bafana Bafana must now rely on an outside result.
The team’s qualification dream hinges on Nigeria, who beat Lesotho on Friday, defeating Benin in their final match on Tuesday.
Broos expressed a tempered belief, stating that the team must concentrate solely on their own performance. “We will see what the result will be there [between Nigeria and Benin]. But on the other side, we don’t really have to look. If we win the game, we will see what happens and that is the most important thing.”
While acknowledging the emotional toll the draw will take—”I think we will be one or two days, a little bit down”—Broos stressed the need to maintain faith: “It will again, not be easy, certainly not, but as long, it’s possible, we have to believe.”
Qualification Landscape
Under the current African qualification format, only the group winners automatically qualify for the FIFA World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the USA. The four best runners-up from all groups will receive a second chance via an inter-confederation play-off round.
Bafana Bafana will need to secure the win against Rwanda and hope for a favourable result in the Nigeria-Benin game to secure the automatic spot.