Izuchukwu OkosiSouth Africa’s Bafana Bafana head coach, Hugo Broos, is adamant that his team do not fear playing against any African opposition in the aftermath of his team’s 3-3 draw against Algeria in the FIFA World Series friendly on Tuesday as they loom forward to June’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, reports Prime Business Africa.
The Belgian who took over the reins of the team in 2021 was the subject of interests from a couple of countries after the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations but is now fully focused on the next games against Nigeria and Zimbabwe when the World Cup qualifiers restart in June.
“We played against a very strong team, but I do not think there was much difference between the quality of our game and the quality of the game in Algeria,” Broos told The Sunday World.
“That means we have progressed in the last few months. We already showed that in the AFCON, and we did it again against Algeria. So, I don’t think we have to be afraid anymore of playing against any team in Africa.”
South Africa began their FIFA World series with a tepid 1-1 draw against Andorra before the thrilling 3-3 draw against the Algerians.
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“What a game! It was a fantastic game from both teams, but the performance of South Africa was really good,” Broos told Safa Media.
“We played against a very strong team, but I do not think there was much difference between the quality of our game and the quality of the game in Algeria.
“That means we have progressed in the last few months.
“We already showed that in the Afcon [Africa Cup of Nations], and we did it again against Algeria. So, I don’t think we have to be afraid anymore of playing against any team in Africa.”
The South Africans defeated DR Congo in the third-place final after losing to Nigeria in the semifinals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Broos also too out time to pour cold water on the speculations about his future and declared that he is not about to leave his job.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
