Broos Reacts To Bafana AFCON Qualifiers Draw

Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos who stated the nation can ‘kill’ him if he fails to qualify for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, has reacted to the draw.

South Africa were drawn in Group K alongside Morocco, Zimbabwe and Liberia – however they could face only two of the sides with ZIFA currently banned by FIFA.

The Atlas Lions will be overwhelming favourites to proceed as group winners as they currently rank second in Africa with one of the most formidable squads but Broos feels they have enough to qualify for the binnieal even set to be hosted in Ivory Coast next year.

“It’s clear that Morocco is the best team in our group. They were at the AFCON in January, were eliminated by Egypt and it’s a very good team,” he said on Wednesday.

“I know, Morocco are the best of our group. There have some players who are playing in Belgium, like [Selim] Amallah, like [Samy] Mmaee, so I know this team very well. I think if we want to be first in the group, we have to beat Morocco.

“At the other side Zimbabwe, we played against Zimbabwe during the qualifications for the World Cup, so we know them very well. We played two times against them last year. It’s a tough team but this is a team we have to beat. We are better than a few months ago. So I think if we can beat them twice, this will be very good for us.

“Liberia’s, for me, is really a team that I don’t know, I don’t know the players. So it’s up to us in the next weeks to look at the games of Liberia, maybe is Liberia is the the weakest team in our group, but it’s always dangerous to underestimate an opponent.

“So for that, first of all, we’re going to look at their games, their last games and see how good they are. But if we look at this group, I think first of all Morocco the best team, Zimbabwe our neighbors, very tough games also, and Liberia normally it has to be the weakest team in our group.”

The qualification dates have yet to be confirmed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) but the first round of qualifiers are scheduled for June.