South Africa head coach Hugo Broos believes his side hold the upper hand in Group C as the 2026 World Cup qualifiers enter their closing stage, Footynaija.com reports.
The Belgian tactician, who famously led Cameroon to the 2017 AFCON title, is confident that a win against Zimbabwe on Friday will put Bafana Bafana in full control of their qualification destiny.
The match, which will be played in Durban due to Zimbabwe’s ongoing stadium ban, comes at a decisive point in the group. South Africa currently sit second with 14 points, level with Benin but behind only on goal difference.
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The recent three-point deduction for fielding an ineligible player against Lesotho has tightened the race, but Broos remains positive about his team’s position.
“If we can win that game, you have 17 points,” Broos said, as revealed in a report by Pulse Sports Nigeria.
The 73-year-old went on to explain why he believes South Africa’s direct rivals, Nigeria and Benin, are at a disadvantage heading into the final two matchdays.
“Nigeria, if they win their two games, can only have 17 points, the same thing for Rwanda, but Benin cannot win their two games because they play against Nigeria and Rwanda; therefore, the game on Friday is so important for us to win,” he added.
A win against Zimbabwe would see South Africa leap to 17 points, at least temporarily reclaiming first place from Benin before the final round of fixtures on 14 October.
Nigeria and Rwanda are both three points behind on 11, meaning that anything less than a win for South Africa could leave the group wide open heading into the last day.
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