Sports

Bafana Bafana Coach, Hugo Broos lambasts players after draw with Eswatini

Published

2 months ago

October 14, 2023

South Africa’s senior national team coach, Hugo Broos, on Saturday, blasted his players after their disappointing 0-0 draw with minnows, Eswatini on Friday.

The Bafana Bafana were lackluster as they laboured to hold the more enterprising Eswatini team whose youthful energy threatened to undo anything the South African team had to offer.

At the end of the encounter, Broos said his team showed no passion and fighting spirit as the match was the team’s worst performance since he took over in 2021.

“There were many feelings that I went through during and after the game,” Broos said while speaking to journalists.

“Those of frustration and anger because I didn’t believe what I saw in the first and second half. I think in the first half we had one chance to score and I am saying this with all respect to Eswatini.

“We were lucky that we played against a team of that level, otherwise it could have been a disaster. I didn’t recognise my team and I had to make changes during halftime hoping things will be better.

“We were not playing 90 minutes on the same low level. It’s unbelievable because three months ago we saw this team play good against Morocco. It’s unbelievable that four or five months ago we saw this team play against Liberia,” the bitter Broos lamented.

“You can’t believe your eyes where you saw them against Eswatini. There was no passion, we lost nearly every duel, we played far from our opponents and we were lucky they didn’t score because that could have been a disaster.

“I said to the boys they must look in the mirror and ask themselves what went wrong. There are many things that went wrong in this game and let’s hope that it is a wake-up call for everyone.

“You can’t ask people to come to the stadium to watch that type of football. You have to win the crowd and you don’t do it with a performance like we showed Eswatini.”

Related Topics:Eswatini Featured Hugo Brood South Africa

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Sports

CAF Award: Osimhen, Salah, Hakimi make fiinal three shortlist

Published

1 day ago

December 7, 2023

Akanimoh Etim

In-form Nigeria and Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen, has made the final three-man list for the 2023 CAF Men’s Player of the Year Award which will hold on December 11 in Marrakesh, Morocco.

Osimhen, who had a sterling last season where he led Napoli to its first Italian league title in 33 years with 26 goals to end as the first African player to win the top scorer award in the Serie A, will battle for the crown with Egyptian captain and Liverpool star, Mohamed Salah, and Moroccan defender, Achraf Hakimi, who plays for PSG in the French Ligue One.

Many football pundits in the continent have so far tipped the Lagos-born Osimhen to pick the diadem ahead of Salah and Hakimi.

The latest to give the gong to the former Lille player was mercurial ex-Super Eagles captain, Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha, who believes Osimhen has done enough to be named CAF Player of the Year for 2023 after his exploits with his Italian club and the Eagles.

In an interview on Wednesday, Okocha said the 24-year-old Osimhen’s consistency at the highest level had won him the prestigious gong already.

“Osimhen deserves it because for me, he was the most consistent player of last season,” the former PSG midfield star said in the interview.

If Osimhen goes ahead to win the award, he will be the second Nigerian player to achieve the feat after Nwankwo Kanu who won the CAF Player of the Year Award in 1999.

Sports

Moroccan player Bilal El Khannouss wins Lion Award in Belgium

Published

2 days ago

December 6, 2023

Akanimoh Etim

Moroccan international, Bilal El Khannouss, has been named the best player from North Africa in the Belgium Jupiler league.

El Khannouss, who plays for KRC Genk, was on Tuesday presented the Belgian Lion Award, which is given annually in Belgium to the best player from North Africa in the country’s First Division.

Fellow Moroccan, Tarik Tissoudali, who also plays for KAA Gent, finished in second, while Adem Zorgane of Charleroi and Youssef Challouk of KV Kortrijk, both Algerians, finished in joint-third position.

The award ceremony also honored female footballers from North Africa who also play in Belgium, with Moroccan international striker, Sakina Ouzraoui, who plays for RSC Anderlecht, picking the Belgian Lionne Award 2023.

The event also paid tribute to the “Best Belgian with Arab Roots,” awarding RB Leipzig’s Belgian striker, Lois Openda.

The esteemed Golden Boy Award, which recognizes the best players under 21 in Europe, also named El Khannouss among its 25 finalists.