Despite their heartbreaking loss to Nigeria in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations semi-final, Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos had nothing but praise for his players’ performances.
In a closely contested match, the former champions exhibited resilience and determination, ultimately forcing extra time after Teboho Mokoena’s equalizer canceled out William Troost-Ekong’s opener for Nigeria.
While the match ended in a penalty shootout, with the Super Eagles emerging victorious, Broos commended his team for their outstanding effort throughout the tournament.
“Football can be hard,” Broos reflected after the game. “Okay, that can happen in football. It’s a big disappointment for everyone because we feel that we played a very good game today, that we played a very good AFCON.”
Expressing his pride in the team’s performance, Broos emphasized, “I’m very, very proud of it. I’m proud of my players. The disappointment is this, but the pride is that.”
As they look ahead to the third-place final against the Congo Democratic Republic, Broos and his team remain determined to finish their AFCON campaign on a positive note.
