By Dylan Bettencourt
- Bafana Bafana drew 1-1 with Panama on Friday and lost 2-1 to Panama at the Cape Town Stadium on Tuesday.
- Burnley striker Lyle Foster missed four good chances across both games as Bafana Bafana wasted around 10 opportunities in total.
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos says the team’s finishing is a major concern with the 2026 Fifa World Cup just months away.
The worry came after two home games against Panama. Bafana drew 1-1 at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Friday, then lost 2-1 at the Cape Town Stadium on Tuesday. Tuesday’s loss was Broos’s first home defeat since he took over as coach in September 2021.
Bafana created around 10 chances across the two matches but scored only twice. Burnley striker Lyle Foster missed four good chances across both games.
“When you have chances like you did today and last Friday it is a bit too much to miss them all,” Broos said.
Broos said the two matches were played to find out what still needs work before the tournament.
He did not rule out calling up new players before naming his final World Cup squad on 18 May.
“We can’t go with the level we have now to the World Cup, there has to be something more,” he said.
“Maybe there will be other players we can see in the next months that will make the team better and stronger.”
Bafana’s defending also let them down in the second match. Panama scored both their goals from set pieces, with poor organisation at the back.
Broos replaced captain and first-choice goalkeeper Ronwen Williams at half time. Sekhukhune United’s Renaldo Leaner came on for the second half.
Bafana play their opening World Cup match against Mexico at the Azteca Stadium on 11 June.
Pictured above: Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos.
Image source: File
