World Cup (Q): Broos explains why South Africa must beat Zimbabwe

South Africa coach Hugo Broos has explained why their next FIFA World Cup qualifying fixture against Zimbabwe will be a must-win for his side.

Bafana Bafana, who assembled in Roodepoort, Johannesburg, on Monday, will face the Warriors away at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Friday, before they wrap up their qualifying campaign against Rwanda in the last qualifier at the Mbombela Stadium, in Mpumalanga, on Tuesday.

Speaking ahead of the remaining qualifiers, the Belgian tactician admitted Bafana’s situation changed a little bit following the decision by World governing body FIFA to deduct them three points. Bafana were punished for fielding ineligible midfielder Teboho Mokoena in their World Cup qualifier against Lesotho on March 21.

“The game on Friday is so important for us to win”

“I don’t have to tell you that the next games are historical, everybody knows that it’s 24 years since South Africa could qualify for a World Cup, and our situation has changed a little bit because of the deduction of three points,’ Broos said as quoted by SABC Sports.

“But that’s the only change – even with three points ahead, we would have had to win our last two games to be mathematically qualified, so that is not changing for us.”

He continued: “And certainly, if you look at the next games, there are four teams involved, but it’s impossible for four teams to win their remaining two matches, so the game of Friday is maybe the most important.

“If we can win that game [against Zimbabwe], we have 17 points; Nigeria, if they win their two games, can only have 17 points, and the same for Rwanda.

“And if they win their two games, 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.”

Benin and South Africa are tied on 14 points but the former are sitting top of Group C because of a better goal aggregate. Nigeria are third on 11 points, and Rwanda fourth also on 11 points.