Bafana Bafana have arrived in Polokwane, Limpopo, ahead of their crucial FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Benin. They will first host Lesotho at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Human Rights Day, before flying to Côte d’Ivoire to take on Benin next Tuesday.

The South African national team resumes its qualification campaign, knowing that two victories would significantly boost its chances of reaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup. However, Hugo Broos is under no illusions about the difficulty of the task ahead.

The Belgian tactician has warned his players that they must be at their best to secure maximum points from the two fixtures. “As everybody knows, we have important games in front of us. It’s a key moment, I said that already before, if we can achieve two victories against Lesotho and Benin, then I think we can make a big step in qualification, certainly also taking account the other games in the group,”

“We will try to do it, and on the other side we know that these will be tough and difficult games.” said Broos

Broos highlighted Lesotho’s fighting spirit as a key challenge in the upcoming clash on Friday. “First up we have Lesotho on Friday. Lesotho is a team that fights for each other. They fight for each other, they fight for each meter and every ball, and they are playing against South Africa. So, I think they will try to do something more against South Africa and other teams. So again, it will be a tough game.” said Broos

Following the Lesotho encounter, Bafana will turn their attention to Benin, a match that will be played at a neutral venue in Côte d’Ivoire.

“The only advantage we have here is that Benin are playing in Ivory Coast, so a big crowd and their supporters will not be there. That is a little advantage for us,” Broos added.

In team news, Polokwane City midfielder Ndamulelo Maphangule has been called up to replace the injured Patrick Maswanganyi. Maphangule has already linked up with the squad in Polokwane and will be available for selection in both upcoming matches.

With the stakes high and World Cup qualification on the line, Broos and his squad know that these two matches could define their journey towards the 2026 tournament. Bafana fans will be hoping for six points to keep their World Cup dream alive.

IOL Sport