WATCH | Broos targets crucial win to book World Cup spot

With Bafana Bafana needing three points in their remaining two matches to qualify for the Fifa World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico next year, coach Hugo Broos wants this to be done as soon as possible.

Bafana played to a 1-1 draw with Nigeria at Free State Stadium on Tuesday, while Benin thumped Lesotho 4-0 later on and are three points behind in Group C with two matches remaining.

Bafana, who lead the group with 17 points after eight matches, will face Zimbabwe on October 6 at Mbombela Stadium before they end their qualifiers against Rwanda seven days later.

“Now we need one victory and we have two opportunities, so let's try to do it as soon as possible,” Broos told the media during the post-match press conference.

“Let's go and try and win as many games as possible, that game that we need to win to qualify and I can assure you it will be a very big party when we achieve it. I want to win, I want to go to America next year.”

Broos is also impressed by how Bafana has progressed in the last two years, saying he is pleased that even if key players are not available, those who are called to replace them have always delivered.

Against Nigeria on Tuesday, players such as Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Mohau Nkota, Zuko Mdunyelwa, Sipho Mbule and Samukelo Kabini had less than five caps for Bafana and this was the most inexperienced squad the Super Eagles ever faced against SA.

“When you see the progression made by SA in this level of football, it is enormous. If SA two years ago had played against Nigeria today [Tuesday], we would have lost. We knew in the second half that we could not win the game by playing football but fighting,” he said.

“And that's what we tried. We fought as much as our opponents, who were as physical and I think this is the right result. Neither of the two teams deserves to win.

“When you see the Nigerian team, there is no Nigerian in the team. They all play abroad in big teams. We don't have that, but you see, it is not a disadvantage. We have good players and I hope that what we did with the national team, we will do in the future, so that those players get the opportunity to go to Europe.

“That should help SA football. So, let's hope the guys will have opportunities, maybe next season, to go and play abroad.”

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