‘ Why we lost to Rwanda ‘ – South Africa Coach Hugo Broos explains

Coach of the Bafana Bafana of South Africa has explained why his team lost to Rwanda on matchday two of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying series.

Bafana Bafana were guests at the Huye Stadium in Batuare with a target to consolidate on their win over Benin Republic on matchday one.

Those aspirations hit the snag early in the contest as Rwanda race into a two-goal lead inside twenty-eight minutes.

It ended Rwanda 2-0 South Africa the Amavubi leapfrogging Hugo Broos tutored Bafana Bafana to top-spot in group C.

After that match, Broos said his players were stunned by the kick-and-rush football adopted by their hosts and lost the game in the first 25-minutes.

“We lost the game in the first 25 minutes, because we weren’t ready for the kick-and-rush football of Rwanda,” Broos said in an interview with SAFA media.

“I had told the players to be careful, but then we gave away two presents – two gift goals. We were not ready, and after the two goals, we changed a little bit.

“We were not good. I asked the boys to put Rwanda under pressure, and in the second half only once did they managed to pass the 60m mark into our territory.”

On the individual performance of his players, Broos rejected individual assessment.

” I am not used to commenting on individual performances after a match, and I will not do it now. We lose with 11 players, and we win with 11 players.

“I say it again, we were not ready for the kick-and-rush football of Rwanda.”

South Africa’s next game in the qualifiers is an away fixture against Nigeria’s Super Eagles in June 2024.

The Eagles sit in third place after two draws vs Lesotho and Zimbabwe.