Bafana Bafana of South Africa head coach Hugo Broos has praised his players for matching Super Eagles’ ‘power’ in their stalemate in Blomfeinteim.
Broos’ side were held to a 1-1 draw by the Super Eagles in their 2026 FIFA World Cup Cup qualifying matchday eight contest on Tuesday night.
William Troost-Ekong slotted the ball into his own net in the 25th minute.
Nigeria equalised through a Calvin Bassey’s header on the stroke of half time.
Broos Happy With Bafana’s Display
Broos reveals he spoke to the players before the clash about being up a for physical contest against the Super Eagles.
“It was a match like I expected, physical match much harder from the opponent, it’s only in the second half when they tried to win the game with power football, but we did a very good game also,”Broos told SABC Sport after the game
“We had the power in our teams also, we fought for it and I said before the game we will try to win but if it’s a draw then I’m happy also and I’m happy.”
“The only thing I said this afternoon also on the pre-match meeting, I said if you can’t win with good football you have to do it with fighting and this is what they did. They fought in the second half for every ball, every metre and there were guys that were really dead but still they sprint.
“But I always said this is a group who wants to go to the World Cup and today was a crucial game. It was a draw- Nigeria stay on six points, it’s up to us now to win one game than we have qualified.”
Bafana Showed Maturity
Broos also praised his side’s maturity, claiming they wouldn’t be able to win a tough contest like this few years ago.
“Yes, because the previous games we did always with good football, today our football was less but there was a team on the pitch a team that fight for every ball and it was very physically and I think it prepares (the players) a lot in the physical level of football,” Broos added.
“Three, four years ago, when we played this kind of match, we always lost it so now today we were there on the pitch – we fought for it and you see what you can achieve.”
By Adeboye Amosu
