Hugo Broos makes honest AFCON admission | OneFootball

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Broos on upcoming AFCON

Photo: Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos

Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has made an honest admission on the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) set to be staged in Morocco next month.

South Africa have been pitted in Group B alongside record seven-time African champions Egypt, Angola and neighbors Zimbabwe.

Having collected the Bronze medal in the previous edition in Ivory Coast, the Belgian mentor is braced for teams to adopt a different approach against his side in North Africa.

“I think for us it will be a little bit different now to start the next AFCON because we are South Africa now and this is different than two years ago. We were a team of South Africa and with the performance we did and the results we had, I think also the opponents will prepare the game a little bit different than two years ago,” said Broos.

"And that is for us the next step we have to make. If we can make that step now in the next AFCON and doing the same results as the last one - I think then the progression we made in those last two, three years is enormous and that can help us also to do very good in the World Cup.

While he anticipates Bafana to have a target on their back, Broos is not expecting his troops to suffer an early group stage exit, citing the quality of players at his disposal.

“Let's talk about the worst case after the group stage you can come back to South Africa - that should be very bad. So, we have to try to avoid that and I'm confident because I know this group, the quality is there, the mentality is there,” he added.

"It can always happen but this is not something I will expect. It would honestly be a very big surprise for me if after three games we should have to come back to South Africa. But I know, we are conscious about that. The approach will be different now from the other teams.

Meanwhile, Bafana will square off against Zambia in an international friendly match at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday, 15 November.