No Mercy for Warriors — Broos Eyes Must-Win Clash

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos says South Africa will not be seeking any favours from Zimbabwe’s Warriors when the two sides meet in a crucial World Cup Qualifier at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Friday evening.

South Africa heads into the encounter determined to secure maximum points and keep their 2026 World Cup qualification hopes alive.

The team suffered a major setback last week after FIFA docked three points for fielding an ineligible player in their match against Lesotho. The deduction saw Bafana drop to second place in Group C with 13 points — level with leaders Benin, who face Rwanda next.

Victory over Zimbabwe and Rwanda in their remaining fixtures would boost South Africa’s chances of qualification, though much will depend on how Benin performs against Rwanda and Nigeria.

Speaking ahead of the match, Broos said his team was prepared and motivated.

“The Warriors are very determined, but we’re not expecting any favours from them,” he said. “It was clear a few weeks ago when they wanted to host this game in Botswana, even after playing their last four home matches in South Africa — that tells you there’ll be no favours.”

He added: “But we don’t need any. We want to win the right way, and I’m confident. What I’ve seen from the players in training over the past three days gives me great belief.”

South Africa will also draw inspiration from their 3-1 victory over Zimbabwe in the first-round match last year.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe faces mounting pressure from fans after failing to record a single win so far this year.

Africa Group C World Cup Qualifiers standings:

Benin – 14 points

South Africa – 14 points

Nigeria – 11 points

Rwanda – 11 points

Lesotho – 9 points

Zimbabwe – 4 points

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