Picture: Bafana Bafana caoch, Hugo Broos/Supplied
By REGINALD KANYANE
2 September 2025- Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has issued a rallying call to his players ahead of the crunch 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Nigeria in the coming days. The South African senior men’s national team will face Lesotho away from home on 5 September 2025, and then host Nigeria on 9 September 2025.
Broos said his charges have to fight with everything they have got in the two crucial matches.
“We are still strong enough to beat Lesotho, but again, we have to focus and we have to concentrate. We have to reach our level best, and we have to fight.
“Playing a good game of football is okay when we can do it, why shouldn’t we do it, but let’s start from the first game, from the first minute and fight for every second, for every square metre on the pitch and try to win that game,” he said.
Broos further said it would be a very good situation for them, if they could win the game on Friday. He added that this has been one of the most difficult camps he has ever overseen as the team has been plagued by a lot of injuries to key players.
“With the team already missing a host of regulars due to injuries and other off-field problems, our charges suffered another blow following the injuries to Ime Okon and Patrick Maswanganyi.
“I have called up midfielder Sipho Mbule and defender Thabo Moloisane as late replacements,” said Broos.
He said Kamogelo Sebelele and Mduduzi Shabalala accompanied him to the arrival press conference on Monday and they expressed excitement following Bafana Bafana’s recognition of the hard work they have delivered for their respective clubs.
The Guardian 