Broos & Bafana technical team praised for making ‘Pirates decision’ – The coach was thinking well

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has been praised for his tactical prowess that helped Mzansi get their World Cup ticket after a 3-0 win over Rwanda.

Goals from Thalente Mbatha, Oswin Appollis, and Evidence Makgopa were enough to see South Africa top Group C, thanks to the help from Nigeria, who beat Benin 4-0 in another pool game played in Uyo on Tuesday.

It's a celebration in Mbombela!!!! Siyaya!!!! South Africa 🇿🇦 ❤️ @flysaa @SABC_Sport pic.twitter.com/g5fQjsSG5g

— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) October 14, 2025

Augusto Palacios, who was the former national team's coach, insists he was confident South Africa will deliver.

‘We never lost the game'

“Yeah, I was confident. I was very confident because the team is solid and the people will be happy seeing that the players from Orlando Pirates scored the goals. It's unbelievable,” he told Soccer Laduma.

“But overall, a solid team. The opposition had only one dangerous situation hit the goal post, but I believe the approach from the technical team for them to play aggressively from the start was fantastic. It's the key that brought the success.

“I don’t think so. You know, I believe you see the team. The majority of the players play in the CAF Champions League. We never lost the game. The Bafana game. I was really confident because the players have experience in Africa, and they were aggressive,” he added.

Broos & Bafana technical team lauded for making critical choices

“The coach was thinking well. You know Thalente [Mbatha] is a player who likes to shoot, and Oswin [Appollis] is a very aggressive player, you know, and Evidence [Makgopa] is good in the air. 

“It's a combination of the whole team, and you know it's very important if the coach selects players by performance in the league. Like you know, Lyle Foster was injured, but one important thing for me is that when the players are determined to perform, they can do anything.

“Also, I need to tell you this. It's the first time in a long time that players don't talk about this or that. The first time we qualify. 

“Maybe the players were focused. They had a very good, positive approach, and apart from that, we fought to go to the World Cup. It means now, as a country, to go to the World Cup is fantastic,” Palacios concluded.