Liberia vs Bafana Bafana: South Africa Does Not Have to 'Kill' Relieved Hugo Broos

• Hugo Broos made a bold statement when he took over Bafana Bafana in the wake of the 2021 disaster
• He said he must be judged against his promise to take Bafana Bafana to the 2023 AFCON in Cameroon
• It was a hairy campaign for the South Africans but the straightforward Belgian kept to his promise

"In 2023, it’s AFCON and if we are not qualified for that you can kill me."

Those were the words of Bafana Bafana coach, Hugo Broos when he took over the most unpleasant coaching job in South Africa.

Well, no axe will be swinging in the direction of his proverbial neck after he completed his mission of taking the team to the tournament in the Ivory Coast next year.

Speaking in a post-match interview after a tense 2-1 win over Liberia, the Belgian admitted it had been a tough game.

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"We knew it. The way Liberia plays is powerplay and combinations. I think we put the right players in the right [positions]. I'm very proud of the way they did it. They fought for it. I asked for perseverance for 90 minutes. I saw it, and we scored two times. I think it was difficult but we deserved it."

Broos' charges' next match will be a dead rubber against fellow Group K qualifiers, Morocco in June but he should be targeting the scalp of what has become Africa's most talked-about team.

The Atlas Lions made history at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, becoming the first African side to reach the semi-finals.

Bafana team manager sent off

In related coverage, Sports Brief reported that during the tense match against Liberia, the name Vincent Tseka became a household one across South African football.

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Bafana's team manager reportedly swore at a match official in the first half of the key 2023 AFCON encounter at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Stadium in Monrovia.

It appeared Tseka he was not happy with an offside call by one of the linesmen, though the visitors had blown the chance to capitalise on the call anyway.