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As the nation navigates the load shedding gloom and the high cost of living, head coach Hugo Broos and his Bafana Bafana charges lifted the mood when South Africa qualified for next year’s Afcon finals. Bafana booked their ticket to the continental championship in Ivory Coast, with a 2-1 win over Liberia in a tense Afcon qualifier in Monrovia on Tuesday.
READ: Huge reprieve for Hugo Broos as South Africa book Afcon ticket
Goals in each half from SuperSport United on-loan striker Zakhele Lepasa and Cyprus-based attacker Mihlali Mayambela sandwiched Liberia striker William Jebor’s first half equaliser. The win secured Bafana’s spot at the 24-nation tournament, with one more game to be played in the qualifiers.
South Africa last appeared at Afcon finals in 2019, when they reached the quarterfinals in Egypt.
“It’s difficult to express my feelings now. I feel enormous happiness. Hundred feelings going through my body. It was a tough game,” Bafana head coach Broos said after the match at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Stadium in Monrovia.
Broos added:
The coach said the game against Morocco in Johannesburg in June would be a quality friendly match for his team. Bafana will play their last qualifier against already qualified Morocco, while Liberia will conclude their qualifying journey at home against the Lone Stars in September.
Broos said: “I’m very happy that we have qualified because some guys were talking about a draw. If it was a draw, we are only playing in June and they are playing in September.
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“I’m not saying it could be voluntary but it could be that in June Morocco are coming to South Africa with a good team and in September when they have already qualified for the Afcon finals they may not bring a strong team. Morocco for us will be a very good friendly game, even though it will still be a qualifier.”
Morocco lead Group K on six points followed by Bafana in second with four points, while Liberia prop up the group with a single point. Bafana’s pool was left with three teams after CAF announced last May that Zimbabwe had been disqualified due to the suspension of the country's football association by world governing body Fifa.
