South Africa head coach Hugo Broos has emphasized the importance of his team’s upcoming fixtures against Lesotho and Benin in their bid to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Bafana Bafana will host Lesotho at Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on March 21, before traveling to Ivory Coast to take on Benin four days later.
With both matches playing a crucial role in the qualification campaign, Broos has urged his players to approach them with the right mentality.
Lesotho Test Will Be No Easy Task
Speaking about the first encounter, Broos cautioned against underestimating Lesotho despite their lower ranking.
He highlighted the physical and mental resilience of their opponents, insisting South Africa must be fully prepared.
“I won’t say it will be the defining moment, but if we manage to take all six points, it will be a big step towards qualification. However, we have to earn it,” Broos said.
“These are very important matches and difficult ones as well. We must not underestimate Lesotho—not necessarily in terms of quality, but in terms of mentality.
They are a team that fights for every meter on the pitch for 90 minutes. Against South Africa, they will give even more, and we must be ready for that challenge.”
A Tough Battle Awaits in Benin
Looking ahead to the second fixture, Broos acknowledged the difficulties Bafana Bafana faced the last time they played Benin, despite securing a 2-1 victory.
He admitted that while his squad has made significant improvements, the encounter will still be a major test.
“We had a tough time against Benin a year ago. We won 2-1, but it wasn’t easy,” the Belgian coach recalled.
“The circumstances are different now, and we have improved a lot. But it’s still going to be a difficult match.
Hopefully, we can achieve our goals, but I believe mental strength will be just as important as technical quality in both games.”
South Africa currently aims to solidify their position in the qualification standings and take a major step towards the World Cup.
With Broos prioritizing both physical and mental readiness, Bafana Bafana will need to be at their best to navigate these two decisive fixtures.
