Hugo Broos Rallies South Africa After Fifa Blow Ahead Of World Cup Showdowns

Bafana Bafana’s road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup has taken a bruising turn. A costly administrative error now dubbed “Mokoena-gate” by fans online has left South Africa docked three points in the qualifiers. But head coach Hugo Broos isn’t backing down. Instead, he’s calling for unity, pride and lion-hearted performances in the must-win clashes against Zimbabwe and Rwanda this October.

A Painful Setback

The controversy stems from South Africa’s use of Teboho Mokoena against Lesotho, despite the midfielder being suspended. FIFA’s ruling reversed the 2-0 victory into a 3-0 defeat, stripping Bafana of three vital points and dragging them down to second place in Group C.

The blow was felt across the country. On social media, supporters vented their frustration, pointing fingers at the South African Football Association (SAFA) for what many see as yet another administrative blunder. “We don’t lose on the pitch, we lose in the boardroom,” one fan posted on X, capturing the national mood.

Broos Shoulders The Blame

At Thursday’s squad announcement in Johannesburg, Broos cut a defiant yet accountable figure. He admitted that as head coach he should have known about Mokoena’s suspension, but he also highlighted the chain of failures within his technical team, SAFA’s administration and even the player himself for not flagging the issue.

“Everybody is responsible,” he said firmly. “So stop with the finger-pointing. Just focus on the two games that are coming now.”

Fighting Like Lions

Despite the turbulence, Broos insists the team’s destiny is still in their hands. South Africa face Zimbabwe first at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on October 10, followed by Rwanda at Mbombela Stadium on October 14. Both fixtures are now finals in their own right.

“In these two games, you will see that we will fight like lions,” Broos promised, vowing to channel the frustration into fearless performances.

A Nation Holding Its Breath

For fans, the stakes are clear: miss out on these points, and another World Cup dream could vanish. For the players, it’s about restoring national pride after yet another embarrassing off-field scandal.

As one supporter put it online: “We’ve suffered enough heartbreak. Let’s fill Moses Mabhida and Mbombela and carry these boys over the line.”

With the squad boasting experienced names like Ronwen Williams, Lyle Foster and Teboho Mokoena himself, Bafana Bafana still have the firepower to make it count. But unity both in the camp and in the stands will be the deciding factor.

The next week could define South African football’s immediate future. Either “Mokoena-gate” will be remembered as the stumble that cost Bafana the World Cup, or as the spark that lit their fightback.

{Source:IOL}

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