Broos reflects on gritty 1-1 draw against Nigeria: “A Game of Football Versus Power”
South Africa head coach Hugo Broos delivered a candid assessment of Bafana Bafana’s 1-1 draw with Nigeria in a crucial FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier at the Free State Stadium on Tuesday evening, describing it as a contest between footballing style and physical power.
Bafana Bafana made a bright start, dominating possession and dictating the tempo in the opening half-hour. Broos praised his side’s intent, noting that his team came to play football, while Nigeria relied on physicality to turn the match in their favour.
“We did very well the first half hour,” Broos said. “On our side the team wants to play football, and on the other side the team tried to win the game by power.”
South Africa took the lead through pressure that forced an own goal, but Nigeria responded before the interval when defender Calvin Bassey equalised. Broos was critical of his team’s defending in the build-up to the goal, lamenting that a more aggressive approach might have prevented it.
“If we should have defended a little bit more aggressive, the goal would never have arrived. Secondly, it was a handball, but okay, it was 1-1 and then you knew you can expect from a team like Nigeria that they would play another football,” he added.
Broos acknowledged Bafana Bafana’s evolution and strength, insisting that two years ago, South Africa would not have been able to cope with the same opposition. This time, however, Bafana matched their intensity.
“We knew in the second half that we couldn’t win the game by playing football but by fighting, and that is what we tried. We fought as much as our opponents. We were as physical as our opponents and I think the result is the right result.” With both sides cancelling each other out in the second half, neither truly deserved all three points, according to Broos.
“None of the two teams deserved to win, but I think we do the best operation with this point,” he said.
The result leaves South Africa in a strong position at the top of Group C, with 16 points. They remain firmly in control of their qualification destiny, while Nigeria’s hopes of automatic qualification have taken a hit, with the Super Eagles now under pressure heading into the final rounds of fixtures.
Despite the draw, Broos is keeping his focus on the bigger picture. With two matches remaining, one more victory would virtually secure Bafana Bafana’s ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“Now we need one victory, we have two opportunities, so let’s try to do it as soon as possible,” he concluded.