Morocco vs South Africa: Hugo Broos Highlights Significance of Beating Atlas Lions for Bafana Bafana

• Hugo Broos says beating Morocco will be important for South African football
• Bafana Bafana and the Atlas Lions clash in the AFCON 2023 last 16 round
• The Belgian believes victory will attract more interest in South African players

Bafana Bafana's head coach, Hugo Broos, has stressed the importance of defeating Morocco in the last-16 of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2023.

Broos believes victory could be a turning point for South African football, which has seen a decline in public support since the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Broos acknowledged the broader significance of the game for African football and South Africa.

"It's not only important to go through but also important for South African football in general. But for the rest… it should be very important for South African football to beat Morocco, maybe it should be and will be more interest in South African players because it’s what we don’t have in South Africa,” Broos said, as quoted on iDiski Times.

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He also stressed the need for increased interest in South African players, which could lead to more opportunities for them to gain experience in European leagues.

The coach mentioned key players like Al-Ahly'sPercy Tau, FC Tondela's Sphephelo Sithole and Aris Limassol's Mihlali Mayambela as international ambassadors for South African football.

With stadium attendance dwindling due to a lack of success, and a majority of players in the current squad based in South Africa, Broos sees the match against the top-ranked African nation as an opportunity to bring global attention back to South African talent.

Based on their previous encounter with Morocco in Rabat, where they lost 2-1, Broos noted the team's transformation. He believes that Bafana Bafana can secure a victory over Morocco and advance in the tournament with the right motivation and performance at their best level.

As the highly anticipated clash awaits in the humid coastal city of San Pedro, legendary South African football figure Jomo Sono has also shared his perspectives.

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Sono, recalling Bafana's remarkable upset over Morocco in the 1998 AFCON, urges faith in the team. Stressing the importance of a physical start, Sono believes executing a well-thought-out plan with tactical discipline is key to overcoming the North African challenge.

“They need to be a bit physical in the opening 10 minutes. North Africans don’t like that. They will lose focus,” said Sono, as reported by Far Post.

Pisto Mosimane offers advice to Bafana Bafana ahead of Morocco tie

Sports Brief reported when former Mamelodi Sundowns manager Pitso Mosimane offered some tactical tips to South Africa.

Mosimane took to social media to emphasise tactical discipline from the players, insisting on resilience and hard work.

Mosimane just joined the Saudi Arabian outfit Abha Football Club.