South Africa coach Hugo Broos has dismissed claims that his side has regressed following their exit from the Africa Cup of Nations, shifting attention instead to preparations for the upcoming World Cup.
Bafana Bafana were knocked out in the last 16 after a 2-1 defeat to Cameroon in Rabat on Sunday, bringing an end to their AFCON campaign at the first knockout stage. The result came two years after South Africa finished third at the previous tournament in Ivory Coast.
“We are not going backwards,” said the veteran Belgian coach. “Maybe in some matches our performances were not at the level people expect from South Africa, but you cannot say that about today.”
Broos maintained that luck was not on his team’s side against the Indomitable Lions, pointing to fine margins that often define tournament football. He noted that fortune had favoured South Africa in previous campaigns, including a crucial moment during their quarter-final victory over Cape Verde two years ago.
“Sometimes you need luck,” he said. “Against Cape Verde, Ronwen Williams made a big save that kept us in the game. Today, luck wasn’t on our side.”
South Africa finished second in their group behind Egypt, recording narrow victories over Angola and Zimbabwe on either side of a defeat to the Pharaohs.
Despite the early exit, Broos insisted the team remains on an upward path, stressing the need for a thorough review as preparations turn toward the World Cup.
“We are not going backwards, but we must carefully evaluate what happened at this tournament as we look ahead to the World Cup,” he said.
South Africa have qualified for the World Cup for the first time since hosting the tournament in 2010, topping their qualifying group ahead of Nigeria. They will open their campaign against co-hosts Mexico on June 11, before facing South Korea and a European play-off winner in the group stage.
The team is scheduled to play friendly matches in March as part of its build-up to the finals in North America.
“In the coming days and weeks, we will analyse in detail what worked and what didn’t,” Broos added. “The World Cup is six months away, and we need to be fully prepared. By March, we want to be ready for those friendlies and on track for the tournament.”