Broos confident of Bafana reaching Afcon after last-gasp win in South Sudan

Hugo Broos has confidence Bafana Bafana will qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco after Thalente Mbatha gave his side a last-gasp 3-2 victory over South Sudan in Juba on Tuesday.

By the time Mbatha scored his 95th minute winner at Juba National Stadium, Broos had resigned himself to a draw and a point. However Mbatha, for the second time in his two games in the Bafana shirt, scored a last-gasp scorcher to give South Africa their first victory in the qualification campaign.

The Orlando Pirates midfielder also scored in the 95th minute for Bafana to salvage a 2-2 draw at Orlando Stadium on Friday — another game Bross believed Bafana should have easily won had they taken their chances, especially in the first half, and not made defensive blunders.

It was the same in Juba, where Bafana dominated the home side, created far better opportunities but left it until the last seconds to grab the all-important victory before the third and fourth round against Congo in October.

Romania-based centre back Siyabonga Ngezana, after a patchy game against the Cranes, was kept in the XI by Broos and gave away the penalty that led to Tito Okello's 17th-minute opener from the penalty spot. The former Kaizer Chiefs man slipped on his challenge as Valentino Yuel equalised at 2-2 after Oswin Appollis' first-half brace gave South Africa a hard-earned lead.   

“We didn't have the sharpness in our game,” the Bafana coach said after the match.

“We had 80% of the 23 players having played only friendly games because the season has not started in South Africa. When we had to play against these opponents, Uganda and South Sudan, who are aggressive and dedicated. You have to be as sharp as they are, but that was not the case for South Africa.

“The competition is starting in South Africa next week and in October we'll be sharper than we are now. That was my fear before these two games because I saw South Sudan play and I saw Uganda play. That was my fear, that we might have a lack of sharpness, and it was like that. 

“We're lucky the good Lord was with us in these two games that we could score against Uganda after 94 minutes and today [Tuesday] after 95.”

Admitting conceding four goals in two matches could have proved costly for Bafana, Broos was happy his team came through relatively unscathed to share four points at the top of Group K with Uganda and confident things will improve in their home and away matches against Congo next month.

Bafana missed injured captain Ronwen Williams in goal and had a completely new look, inexperienced shaky central defence in Rushwin Dortley, who made his debut against Uganda, and Ngezana.

“We're in a good position [on the log], but again, the two games in October against Congo will be key.

“Key games in that if we can have at least four points or six, that will be a good thing because we'll still play at home [in the final qualifier in November] against South Sudan.

“I'm not saying we'll win already before the game, but if you want to qualify you have to win your home matches. I think after that game if we have four or six against Congo, we can be qualified already. Next month is an important one for us, with two important games.”

Bafana will host Congo on October 7 and travel to Brazzaville to play the return leg on October 15.

They meet Uganda away on November 11, then host South Sudan in the final game on November 19.