POLL | Is coach Hugo Broos the hero of the show after Bafana's Afcon qualification?

Bafana Bafana are beaming after beating Liberia 2-1 to qualify for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).

The team secured a place in next year’s tournament thanks to goals from forward Zakhele Lepasa and striker Mihlali Mayambela at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in Monrovia on Tuesday.

“It is difficult to express my feelings right now. I feel enormous happiness. There are 100 feelings going through my body at the moment,” said Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos after the match.

The qualification brought huge relief to Broos, who could not finish watching Friday's home match at Johannesburg's Orlando Stadium, where his team allowed 150th-ranked Liberia to come back from 2-0 down and draw 2-2.

After that humiliating result, few expected brittle, 67th-ranked Bafana to earn the away win that became necessary on a tricky artificial surface against fired-up opponents.

Bafana took a 19th-minute lead via man-of-the-match Lepasa's boot, but just as they did in Orlando, Broos' team too easily allowed Liberian striker William Jebor an equaliser in the 35th.

“It was a very tough game. The style of Liberia is power play, long balls to the front, headers and powerful duels. Therefore we changed some players and brought on those who are powerful, like Innocent Maela and Sphephelo Sithole,” said Broos.

“I think it was good to do that. We scored the first goal, but it was a bit unlucky that we conceded a goal from outside the 16m area. When we scored the second goal, they [Liberia] didn’t look at anything any more, they just dropped the ball in the 18 area and hoped it fell on their feet. And when you see both games, I think we deserved it.”