'No more friendlies before AFCON' - Hugo Broos | OneFootball

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No extra friendlies before AFCON, says Broos

Photo: OJ Koloti/ Gallo Images

Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos says his team will not partake in extra friendly matches to further prepare for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco next month.

South Africa played one game in the just-ended FIFA international break, securing a dominant win over Zambia in an international friendly game last Saturday.

While the decision to only square off against Chipolopolo raised eyebrows, the Belgian mentor set the record straight that it was the last AFCON preparation match, leaving no room for extra friendlies.

“No [there won't be extra matches], we played one game and I don't like to play two or three more games before we go. We played enough against African teams, so we don't have to play against another African team because we don't know African football,” said Broos.

"We played the last four years nearly only against African teams. So, we don't have to play another two or three games before we go to AFCON - we don't need that. It will be a little bit difficult when we play next year World Cup, that is something else and the preparation will be different also.

Meanwhile, Broos is targeting a strong start to the continental showpiece in North Africa, having lost the opening match to Mali two years back in Ivory Coast.

“But now we just try to have a good preparation and that the team is really at 100% when they start and that we don't start like we started the last AFCON with a defeat. I want to win that first game because that gives you a lot of advantage in a tournament, certainly in a group phase,” he added.

"When you win your first game, that was something that we didn't do [in the previous AFCON] and you had to win the second game and there is still a question mark for the third game and we will try to avoid that and already win our first game against Angola.