“This has become a problem for us” - Hugo Broos pinpoints South Africa’s weakness ahead of AFCON 2025 last 16
by Thobelani Moyo | by Thobelani Moyo
Group B: Bafana Bafana through to the knockout stages after surviving a tricky group
South Africa had to navigate a tricky group in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. They were placed in Group B, comprising Angola, Egypt, and Zimbabwe. Despite the challenges they faced, they rose above each one of them.
Bafana Bafana began the campaign with a gritty 2-1 win over Angola before failing to secure a positive outcome against ten-man and record holders Egypt in a narrow 1-0 defeat. In the final group stage game against Zimbabwe, a thrilling 3-2 victory at the Marrakech Stadium was enough to inflict their neighbors' sixth successive group stage exit.
With four points accumulated from three games, they were able to finish second in Group B. This was also sufficient for them to progress to the knockout stages for the eighth time in their history at this competition. Notably, this is their third successive appearance in the Round of 16.
Hugo Broos is far from being pleased with South Africa at AFCON
While the fan base has been beaming with happiness regarding their nation's success, it has been quite a different story when it comes to head coach Hugo Broos. The 73-year-old has been dissatisfied with his team's unimpressive performance at AFCON, pointing out that it could lead to their demise in the early knockout stages.
There have been some concerns that have been raised by Broos that could result in his team's early exit from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. Below, we take a closer look at the concerns that have been raised:
Defensive lapses:
Bafana Bafana concluded the group stages with one of the second-worst offensive records. They conceded four goals in three games, while bottom-dwellers took first place with six. This has been one of their weakest links in the competition, and failure to tackle the matter could make life difficult for them moving forward.
A good example is their final group stage against Zimbabwe, in which they conceded two unnecessary goals. In that match, they led twice but were pegged back, and in the end had to rely on a late penalty from Oswin Appollis to seal a 3-2 victory. That alone made winning very difficult. To Hugo Broos, such a performance was a lack of focus and aggression.
Check out Bafana Bafana's defensive record at AFCON in the 2023 campaign and the 2025 group stage:
| AFCON 2023 (campaign) | Category | AFCON 2025 (Group stage) |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Games played | 3 |
| 3 | Goals conceded | 4 |
| 0.43 | Avg. Goals against/Game | 1.33 |
A lack of edge in their play:
Another concern that has Broos scratching his head has to be the team's timid display in this tournament. He has stated that his team starts the game with energy and resolve, and out of nowhere, finds themselves no longer showing that same mentality when it matters most. They start lacking aggression, giving their opponents many opportunities to punish them.
Their next fixture is against the second most successful team in this competition, Cameroon. Should they be weak and soft, there's no doubt that the Central African nation will want to cash in on their struggles and progress to the quarter-finals at their expense.
