Broos makes plea to South Africans after DRC fans outnumber Bafana’s

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has pleaded with South Africans to show support for the senior national team. 

Bafana beat Democratic Republic of Congo 1-0 in their friendly at Orlando Stadium on Tuesday. South African supporters were embarrassingly and clearly outnumbered in the stands by those of the opposition, making it to seem like the national team was playing an away game.

It was the second time in less that a week that there was low turnout by Bafana supporters, as the 0-0 friendly draw against Namibia on Saturday was also played in front of a poor crowd. 

Many have called for the South African Football Association (Safa) to move Bafana fixtures away from Gauteng and to places where the national team may draw good crowds. 

“It is a little bit disappointing. You could see in the stadium there were more DRC supporters than for us and I hope in the future we will have more support,” the coach said after the match. 

“You saw what having the backing of your supporters can do. DR Congo grew in the game because they were supported by their fans. We had some difficult moments and in that situation you need your supporters to back you. 

“That was a little bit disappointing and I hope in the future we can have better crowds than these games against Namibia and DR Congo.” 

Asked what was achieved in the two friendly matches, Broos said he had an opportunity to look at certain players. 

“I am very happy with what I saw, but that doesn’t mean everything was good. The game against Namibia was to see new players who don’t play much for the national team and the game against DR Congo was also looking for solutions. 

“I am happy after this camp, not because of performances, not because of results but just of what I saw in games because this was for me very important. Even if we lost the two games, it was going to be a learning curve for me because I could have seen some of the players and this is what this camp was for.

“The next camp in October will be different and I hope we don’t have so many injuries and we go more and more to the core of players who will play the World Cup qualifiers and maybe Afcon in January.” 

Broos said he was happy with the win but not with the general performance, especially in the absence of influential creative midfielder Themba Zwane. 

“It was a difficult game for us and that’s why I like to play these types of games because you learn a lot from them. We had a little problem because Themba Zwane was not there and we needed to find a solution. 

“I can’t say it was bad trying Lyle Foster and Zakhele Lepasa in the absence of Zwane but I don’t think it was also good. We need to be prepared for that because it can happen in the next games that you have the same problem of not having Themba Zwane. 

“I also thought it was too much having about six key players injured. Themba Zwane, Teboho Mokoena, Bongokuhle Hlongwane, Cassius Mailula and a few others were not here.

“The solution for the moment was to replace them. It can happen in Afcon, it can happen during the qualifiers in November. 

“On the other side, I am happy with what I saw, I am happy we won the game because that was important but there were moments where DR Congo were the better team.”