Broos hails planning as Bafana used skill and pace to beat South Korea

Bafana Bafana knew what to expect from South Korea, thanks to meticulous planning by their technical and analysis team.

Speaking after South Africa beat the “Taegeuk Warriors” 1-0 at Estadio Monterrey Stadium on Wednesday (or the early hours of Thursday in South Africa) to finish second in the Fifa World Cup’s Group A, Broos said they planned to counter a team speed that would try to put the ball behind Bafana’s defence.

Bafana now turn their attention to the last 32, where they are up against co-hosts Canada at Los Angeles Stadium on Sunday (9pm SA time). Broos said the South Africans want to keep on marching.

“It is always important when you have good analysts looking at the opposing team,” said the 74-year-old Belgian, who entrenched his hero status among most South Africans by steering Bafana to their first World Cup knockout stage at the fourth time of asking.

“I saw a South Korea team that I expected: with speed, that runs a lot, tries to find the space behind the defence — and we knew that.

“But we also knew that we could recover the ball when we had space and that’s why we played a very good tactical game. When the Koreans had the ball, we tried to cover all the spaces and we succeeded.

“When we had the ball, it was dangerous for them because we used the spaces they gave us. We have quick players who can find those spaces and we had a player like Relebohile Mofokeng today who can give those passes and play between the lines.

“When I look back at my career, I think many people, players and coaches, will be a little jealous of what I have achieved.”

—  Hugh Broos, Bafana Bafana coach

“This is the reason we won today. Towards the end of the game, they were desperate at 1-0 down and they needed a draw to qualify for the next round.

“We also knew those balls would come and we took very good positions and there was nearly no dangerous opportunity for South Korea. I think we were a little better tactically than them.”

Broos, who retires from coaching after this tournament, said steering Bafana into the knockout stage for the first time in the country where he ended his career as a player at the 1986 World Cup is up there with his best achievements.

His other highlights as a coach include league titles in Belgium, winning the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in 2017 with an unfancied Cameroon squad and taking South Africa to the bronze medal in 2024.

“When people ask you what the biggest achievement of your career is, it is very difficult after you won Afcon with Cameroon, you have a bronze medal with South Africa, you won championships in Belgium and you have European Cups. This is one of the highest achievements. But winning Afcon is also a great achievement. Don’t ask me which one is first or second, they are all magnificent for me as a coach.

“When I look back at my career, I think many people, players and coaches, will be a little jealous of what I have achieved.”

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