Bafana’s Broos unimpressed with ‘rubbish’ three-team Afcon qualifying route

Hugo Broos has labelled as “rubbish” the experience of having to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations from a three-team group, and has criticised the decision of the Confederation of African Football allow Morocco to play an ‘away’ game in their home country.

LISTEN: Can Bafana Bafana seize their Afcon moment?

South Africa will play Liberia this evening at Orlando Stadium, looking for a home victory in Group K that they can then take to Monrovia for the return match on Tuesday.

The Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex, which uses an artificial pitch, has been cleared to host Confederation of African Football games again, but it was not able to when Morocco were supposed to play in Liberia last June. For some reason, Caf allowed the game to be played in Morocco, handing the Atlas Lions a clear advantage.

Group K has been reduced to three teams after Zimbabwe were banned from participating.

“The fact that from the beginning there has only been three teams is rubbish,” said Broos at a press conference yesterday.

“Morocco have basically already qualified and played their only away game (so far) in Morocco. Ok, if Liberia doesn’t have a stadium, play in another country, not in Morocco. But Caf said ‘no problem’ and they have already qualified, this is not normal. We knew from the beginning the games against Liberia would be decisive.”

Four points required

Still, Bafana should only need four points from these two games to make it to the Afcon finals, set to be held in the Ivory Coast in January of next year. Caf regulations are different from Fifa’s, in that they have kept the head-to-head record at the top of the tie-breakers if teams finished level on points (Fifa changed back to overall goal difference some time ago).

This means that if Bafana can take four points off Liberia, they should qualify for the finals, whatever Liberia do in their final qualifier against Morocco.

“We have the opportunity to do it in these two games and why shouldn’t we do it?” said Broos.

“I believe in the team and I see qualities that I didn’t see a year ago. If we reach the level we can reach we have to qualify.”

Broos certainly has attacking options he did not have a year ago, with plenty of in-form attackers in the Bafana squad.

“I think with the players we have now we have goalscorers,” said Broos.

“They cannot all play … but it is something extra. If it doesn’t work with those who play, you still have players on the bench who can be decisive. This is something we didn’t have before. Now Bongi (Hlongwane) is here from America we have (Cassius) Malula, (Zakhele) Lepasa, (Lyle) Foster is in England. There are a lot of opportunities for the coach and it is very good. Before you put in a striker and looked at the bench and it was ‘hmm, not so much.’”