South Africa head coach Hugo Broos has once again expressed concern over his team’s defensive shortcomings following their 3-2 victory over Zimbabwe in the third and final round of the group stage at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Broos acknowledged his side’s strong start but was quick to point out familiar problems that resurfaced after they took the lead.
“We started the match well, and played good football until we scored the first goal, then again we made mistakes like we did in previous matches, where the wrong passes and the players’ lack of positioning began in a new way,” he said.
The Belgian coach lamented how those lapses allowed the opposition back into the game, highlighting the equalising goal as a clear example of poor defensive awareness.
“And we gave the opponent a chance to become dangerous. In the equaliser, three or four of our players were in front of the player, and they did not make any intervention. When you defend in this way, you will concede a goal in every match,” Broos added.
Broos stressed that addressing these recurring errors is now a priority as Bafana Bafana prepare for the knockout stage.
“These are mistakes we need to work on correcting. We start the match well, but once we score, we fall asleep, just like what happened against Angola. If this happens against a good team, you can’t come back, and you will lose the match, that’s for sure,” he concluded.
