Broos cautions Bafana not to do ‘stupid things’ in remaining matches

While Bafana Bafana continue to raise expectations that they will qualify for the 2026 World Cup by beating Benin 2-0 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on Tuesday, coach Hugo Broos has cautioned the job is far from done.

The Belgian urged his team not to do “stupid things” in the remaining four group C games.

Bafana — perhaps crucially, given the threat of having points deducted for the administrative bungle that saw Teboho Mokoena fielded despite a suspension in Friday's 2-0 victory against Lesotho in Polokwane — extended their lead to five points with a slick victory against Benin. 

“We have to be confident and not be afraid of anybody who plays against us. The only thing we can do is to continue working hard like we've been doing. We must not think that everything is already done,” Broos said afterwards.

“We're already in a good position but I think with the group we're in, if we don't do stupid things, we are very close to qualification.”

Lyle Foster (53rd minute) and substitute Jayden Adams (84th) were on target for Bafana at Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny.

Bafana — who have 13 points from six matches with four games remaining, Rwanda and Benin eight, Nigeria six and Zimbabwe four — stand their best chance of a first qualification other than as hosts since their last World Cup appearance in Japan and South Korea in 2002.

This Mokoena situation, though, threatens the otherwise almost ideal situation Bafana were left in after a win against a Benin who, under former Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr, have had a strong campaign and were in second place going into Tuesday's game.

Nigeria, the group favourites ahead of the campaign, slipped to another poor result by being held to a 1-1 draw at home against Zimbabwe, while second-placed Rwanda were held to a stalemate by the same scoreline at home against Lesotho.

That made for an almost perfect set of Tuesday results for the South Africans.

Broos refused to comment on the Mokoena bungle, saying only: “I’m not commenting on the matter. It is something that will be sorted over the next week.”

The coach was pleased at how Bafana kept the ball and kept pushing for an opening, as they had to put in the hard graft to break down a Benin happy to sit in a low block and hit on the counter.

“Congratulations to our analysis. Second, I think our players did what we asked them to. We knew where we could be dangerous against this team of Benin.

“It’s a good team. But what we did very well today was keeping the ball and waiting for the right moment. So in the first half Benin could do something — but in the second, in the heat, they were tiring at a certain moment and for us it started to be easier.

“We could score once, then a second time. I said to my assistants on the bench that if we scored once, we would win the game.

“Benin were not capable of doing something except [for] the few chances they had in the first half. We dominated the game and deserved to win.”

Bafana lead group C with 13 points, five ahead of second-placed Rwanda, who are tied with Benin in third but have a better goal difference.

Losing three points would leave Bafana with 10, which won't move them from the summit of the pool with four matches to go.

Bafana Bafana's remaining World Cup qualifiers

• September: v Lesotho (away)*
• September: v Nigeria (home)
• October: v Zimbabwe (away)* 
• October: Rwanda (home)

* away but hosted in South Africa