Posted by Samuel on Wed 10th Sep, 2025 - tori.ng
Broos revealed he had warned his players ahead of the encounter to prepare for a physically demanding contest against the Nigerians.
Hugo Broos, the Bafana Bafana head coach, has commended his players for matching Nigeria’s Super Eagles in their 1-1 draw in Bloemfontein on Tuesday night.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying clash was fiercely contested, with William Troost-Ekong inadvertently turning the ball into his own net in the 25th minute to hand South Africa the lead. Nigeria responded just before half-time through a powerful header from Calvin Bassey.
Broos revealed he had warned his players ahead of the encounter to prepare for a physically demanding contest against the Nigerians.
“It was a match like I expected—very physical, much harder from the opponent. In the second half they tried to win with power football, but we did a very good job also,” Broos told SABC Sport.
“We had the power in our team as well. We fought for it. I told the players before the game, if you can’t win with good football, you have to do it with fighting. That’s exactly what they did. In the second half, they fought for every ball, every metre. Some players were completely exhausted but still sprinted. That shows their determination.”
The Belgian tactician emphasised the importance of the result in their qualification bid.
“This is a group that wants to go to the World Cup. Today was a crucial game. It was a draw—Nigeria stay on six points. Now it’s up to us to win one more game and then we have qualified.”
Broos also highlighted the team’s growth and maturity, contrasting it with their struggles in past years.
“Three, four years ago, when we played this kind of match, we always lost it. But today, we showed maturity. Our football was less, but the team spirit and fighting spirit were there. We were ready for the physical battle, and you can see what you can achieve when you fight together.”