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Bafana Bafana were held to goalless draw by Zimbabwe in a tense 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier played at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Friday night.
Coach Hugo Broos’ charges threw everything they had at the Zimbabweans, but luck was not on their side as the ball was cleared off the line and then the goalposts kept it out of the back of the net on two occasions. While the outcome was a huge disappointment, Broos insisted that his charges will pick themselves up and resume the fight in the coming days as there is still so much to play for in qualifying Group C.
The South Africans, who remain second on the standings and two points behind leaders Benin, host Rwanda in their final match of the group in Mbombela on Tuesday. Broos’ charges need to beat Rwanda and then hope that the Nigerians beat Benin at home on the same day.
“It will be very important to see what happens in the game between Nigeria and Benin,” Broos said. “We will see what the result will be there. But on the other side, we don’t really have to look. If we win the game (against Rwanda) we will then see what happens. And that is the most important thing. It will not be easy, certainly not. But as long as it’s possible, you have to believe.
“I think we will be a little bit down for one or two days. But I will do everything to once again have a team that believes on Tuesday, one that will try to win the game with as many goals as possible because (the group) may be decided on goal difference.”
The two sides finished with 10 men after Zimbabwe’s Knowledge Musona was sent off in the 62nd minute. Bafana Bafana defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi then followed suit on the stroke of fulltime.
Bafana Bafana travel to Mbombela on Saturday.
SOURCED FROM SAFA WEBSITE