Morena reveals Bafana’s plan to avoid ‘rushed’ decisions against Rwanda

Mamelodi Sundowns utility player Thapelo Morena has offered insight into how Bafana Bafana plans to approach their must-win 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Rwanda this Tuesday night.

The crucial Group C encounter is set to kick off at 06:00 PM (SA time) at the Mbombela Stadium in Mpumalanga.

The pressure is high on coach Hugo Broos’ side following a disappointing goalless draw against Zimbabwe last Friday in Durban. The draw has significantly complicated Bafana’s path to the World Cup.

Currently, Benin leads the group with 17 points, putting them in a strong position for qualification, while Bafana Bafana sits in second place on 15 points. A victory against Rwanda is non-negotiable for South Africa to keep their qualification hopes firmly alive.

🚨MATCH DAY🚨

FINAL 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifier
Group C

⚽️ South Africa 🇿🇦 vs 🇷🇼 Rwanda
🗓 14 October 2025
⏰️ 18h00
🏟 Mbombela Stadium #BafanaPride@flysaa @SABC_Sport pic.twitter.com/Sxg08cbLsr

— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) October 14, 2025

Morena on Bafana’s ‘Killer Instinct’ Problem

Speaking ahead of the pivotal match, Morena highlighted the team’s lack of killer instinct and a tendency to rush decisions in the final third as the key issues they must correct against Rwanda.

“What happened on Friday happened, and now we are fully focused on Tuesday’s game because it’s one of the games that is important for us. We definitely have to deliver and do our best to ensure that we get a positive result,” Morena stated.

He candidly admitted that the pressure of needing a win against Zimbabwe led to poor execution. “To be honest, putting the word ‘under pressure’ is what happened on Friday. We went into the Friday game focusing on getting the goal and trying our best to score, but we rushed our decisions. Everything was rushed, so I feel that’s the mindset we brought into the game.”

Looking ahead, Morena emphasised a more composed, yet aggressive, approach.

“In this game, we are definitely going out guns blazing, but not too eager to get the goal. However, we will eventually score. This is one thing we do especially when we play at home, and we have the advantage because we know our fans are going to come out in numbers to support us. We also believe in everyone on the team and are putting in the hard work to ensure we do well in the final third.”