Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos says defeating Morocco will mean the world to him, but warned that “we are not world beaters”, as they host the best African nation in the World Cup last year at FNB Stadium on 17 June.
As much as Bafana will host this game, it is just a formality as both nations have booked their spots in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals in Ivory Coast next year.
Morocco set the world alight in Qatar last year, becoming the first African nation to reach the World Cup semi finals, only to lose to France.
Along the way in the world’s biggest and most watched competition, they beat Broos’ countrymen Belgium in Group F, finishing on top with seven points.
It was the group that had Croatia, who were losing finalists in the 2018 World Cup to France, drawing with them and beating Canada, who was appearing in the World Cup for the first time since 1986.
“We, are, in front of us, having a very difficult game against a very good opponent. Just look at the performance of our players, look how good we are or still bad we are,” said Broos.
“But for me it will be a very interesting game and I will not be angry if we lose, I’d be very happy if we draw and I can’t explain how I feel if we win.
“But if we should win against Morocco, don’t think that we have a world team, don’t think. But it will be a big step, that is true.”
Morocco, before coming to Mzansi to face Bafana at FNB Stadium, they will play a friendly match, unlike Bafana, hosting Cape Verde at Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah in Rabat on Monday (21:00).
After this Bafana match, Morocco will complete the group that was narrowed to three nations after Zimbabwe did not see the FIFA ban lifted, in September against Liberia.
Morocco will be playing in South Africa in any qualifiers for the very first time, while these teams have met in 1998, 2002, 2004, 2013 and 2019 AFCON finals.
Bafana have won two of those five matches, drawing two and losing the other, which was in the 2019 edition in the group stages.
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Ronwen Williams, Percy Tau, Themba Zwane and Innocent Maela are the only survivors from that team, which, despite losing 1-0, finished second in the group before losing to Nigeria in the quarter finals.
