Broos has his eyes on AFCON final if Bafana can shock Morocco

Hugo Broos believes Bafana Bafana have a good chance of making the Africa Cup of Nations final, if they can find a way past Morocco in Tuesday’s Africa Cup of Nations last 16 match-up.

Morocco, the top ranked team in Africa, will be overwhelming favourites to beat Bafana at the Laurent Pokou Stadium in San Pedro.

But Broos is confident his side can spring a surprise.

“If we beat Morocco we have a big chance to play in the final, we will know we have beaten a very good team, and in the next round we will avoid a big team.”

If Bafana beat Morocco, they will face the winner of the Cape Verde-Mauritania clash in the quarterfinals.

“We don’t want to underestimate Mauritania or Cape Verde, but there is a big difference,” added Broos.

“We know if we succed (against Morocco) it will be a big step to what we all want – to play in the final and win it.”

Shocks galore!

Broos also pointed to the amount of shocks that have already taken place at this year’s AFCON as a reason for Bafana to believe against the Atlas Lions.

“Morocco were at the World Cup (they made the semifinals of Qatar 2022) but I think they (still) want to win the AFCON, maybe for the last time this will be a chance (for these players) to achieve the highest level.

“They were not really very good in the group stages (Morocco drew with the DR Congo but also beat Tanzania and Zambia), but this is still a good team, and it will be a tough battle (on Tuesday). But this is a football match and what has happened here at the AFCON has been amazing, so let’s make another surprise.”

Broos’ Bafana did beat Walid Regragui’s Morocco, meanwhile, the last time the two sides faced off, last June in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, though the match was effectively a dead rubber.

“That we can beat them, that is the most important thing we learned,” said Broos of that 2-1 win at FNB Stadium.

“We didn’t have that feeling in Morocco, we were dominated, we lost and we saw a big difference between South Africa and Morocco. And Morocco proved it (that difference) at the World Cup. But then suddenly they came to Joburg and we played a very good game and beat them

“Now we have a feeling it is possible (to beat them) so we will see on Tuesday.”