Broos highlights Bafana’s weakness that must be corrected to avoid early AFCON exit

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Broos highlights Bafana’s weakness that must be corrected to avoid early AFCON exit
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos. Photo - Imago

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos is worried that his team is beginning to lose one of its key strengths which served them so well at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

South Africa have conceded four goals in three matches at AFCON 2025 when they let in just three in seven games as they finished third at the 2023 tournament.

The manner in which they have been sliced open, especially against Angola and Zimbabwe, matches that they won 2-1 and 3-2 respectively but could easily have gone the other way, has left Broos a worried man.

What is worrying Bafana coach?

“There is something like attacking and attacking football but you have to also defend and good defending and this is a little problem for us now,” Broos admitted after watching his side survive a scare against Zimbabwe.

“We have to look after that in the week that is coming now. We have six days before our other game so we have to put that right and again we can play for a clean sheet.”

The Belgian tactician concedes their vulnerability at the back is now a massive problem that they must address otherwise they would be packing their bags sooner than they had anticipated at AFCON 2025.

“That [defence] was one of our strongest points in the previous AFCON and honestly now, this is a weakness and we have to work on it because if we go on like this, giving opportunities to our opponents, then it will be difficult to win,” he added.

South Africa lost air of invincibility

Divine Lunga

The match against Zimbabwe highlighted some of the issues Broos will have to deal with before his team’s Round of 16 clash as the manner in which his team was opened up by a team that is not even one of the strangest in the tournament left a lot to be desired.

South Africa had not conceded two or more goals since September 2024 but lost that air of invincibility against the Warriors on Monday.

Defensive solidity is required for any team looking to win AFCON and Broos and his team have to return to their previous best if they want to outperform the Class of 2023. 

<!-- Author Start -->Joel Oliver<!-- Author End -->

Joel Oliver

Author

Joel Oliver is a seasoned multimedia sports journalist with a rich background in covering diverse football stories and events in South Africa and beyond.
His extensive coverage spans subjects touching on the PSL, with a focus on the Big Three (Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs & Mamelodi Sundowns), Bafana Bafana and Banyana Banyana.

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