Hugo Broos Eyes Vital Wins For Bafana Bafana As World Cup Qualification Looms

The importance of soccer matches is often overestimated. Clashes between teams be it at club or national team level are invariably described as do-or-die or must-win affairs until it all becomes slightly tiresome.

Yet, when there is a place at footballs ultimate stage the Fifa World Cup at stake, every match takes on that stature. Even for countries ranked lowly and usually adding to the numbers, the World Cup dream ensures they approach matches with the seriousness of a heart attack.

It is for that reason that Hugo Broos is taking nothing for granted as he prepares for the next round of qualifiers for the global showpiece, scheduled for the Americas US, Canada, and Mexico in 2026. South Africas senior national team coach is leaving nothing to chance ahead of matches against countries they would ordinarily be expected to beat.

Bafana Bafana host Lesotho at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Friday before travelling to neutral Ivory Coast, where they will be hosted by a homeless Benin. The silver-haired Belgian, who played at the 1986 World Cup and harbours hopes of returning to the spectacle as a coach, sees this as a chance for Bafana to put themselves in the driving seat for the top spot in the group. But he knows it wont be easy.

These are important games ahead of us. It is a key moment where we can achieve two victories against Lesotho and Benin. I think we can take a big step towards qualification, so we will try to do it. On the other hand, we know these will be tough and difficult games.