Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos says he’s hopeful Egypt are playing for nine points against Angola and admits Zimbabwe are a different side under new head coach Marian Marinică.
After losing to 1-0 to Egypt, Group B is wide open for the finale, with the record seven-time champions qualified, all three Cosafa rivals have a chance of qualifying for the round of 16.
Egypt on six points, Bafana on three, while Angola and Zimbabwe are on a point each… and Broos is hopeful that Egypt continue their winning run.
“Let’s hope that Egypt is playing tomorrow [today] for nine points, on the other side, I can understand the coach would want to save some players for injuries or whatever, so he might put some other players in the team and not be as strong anymore,” he said.
“But I hope they want to be first with nine points in the group and they do everything to win the game tomorrow.”
While qualification remains firmly in the hands of South Africa, with a draw even potentially enough to advance to the next round, Broos is aware that it’s a different side from the team they drew 0-0 against in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers under former coach Michael Nees.
“It’s a new coach and they playing a different way also, it’s not the Zimbabwe of two or six months ago, they play different and very aggressive in a good way, not brutal but aggressive,” he said about the Warriors squad.
“It’s a new team, so it will be tough tomorrow, and we need to be at our best level to beat them.”
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