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"contents": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Heading into his team’s latest round of Fifa World Cup qualifiers for the 2026 instalment of the tournament, Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos said his team was aiming for a maximum of six points or a minimum of four.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the first match of this second batch of qualification games — played in Uyo, Nigeria — Bafana Bafana and the Super Eagles played to a one-all stalemate. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Though South Africa produced some silky and sumptuous interplay — anchored by their playmaker and scorer on Friday, Themba Zwane — they could not knock the Nigerians down and the star-studded home side equalised early in the second stanza through Fisayo Dele-Bashiru.</span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2224086\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/TL_2224470.jpg\" alt=\"bafana south africa world cup qualifier\" width=\"720\" height=\"480\" /> <em>Ngezana Siyabonga of South Africa in action against Nigeria in Uyo on 7 June. (Photo: Victor Ihechi / Gallo Images)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Broos said the result was fair as “we had our chances and Nigeria had their chances”, but neither side could capitalise beyond the goal each scored in the entertaining contest.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bafana Bafana’s Belgian boss lauded his team’s ever-improving mentality. South Africa took almost a full day to travel to Uyo because of technical problems en route. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, against the Super Eagles, there were no signs of mental or physical fatigue as Bafana Bafana matched the home side at every turn, even surpassing them at times, despite the Nigerians enjoying home advantage. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“We had a terrible trip to Nigeria on Wednesday. We were only in bed at two on Thursday morning. So, we spent 20 hours travelling. And when you see the mentality of the team today, I can only be proud of my players,” Broos told journalists.</span>\r\n<h4><b>Long road ahead </b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The draw placed Bafana Bafana on four points from three matches. They still have another seven games to play — including Tuesday’s battle in Bloemfontein against neighbours Zimbabwe.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Africa are grouped with Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Benin and Lesotho. With five points accumulated to date, the latter nation surprisingly sits at the summit of the mini-league.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Only the group winner will be one of the nine African countries guaranteed a place at the Canada, US and Mexico-hosted World Cup.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Broos, who won the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) with Cameroon in 2017 and led South Africa to bronze at the event in 2023, believes that even though the qualification journey is still embryonic, the gap between so-called powerhouse nations and minnows has drastically reduced in recent years.</span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2224085\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/TL_2224459.jpg\" alt=\"bafana south africa world cup qualifier\" width=\"720\" height=\"442\" /> <em>Mvala Mothobi and Ngezana Siyabonga of South Africa during the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifier against Nigeria on 7 June. (Photo; Victor Ihechi/Gallo Images)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Imagine three or four years ago you said, in a group like this, Lesotho would be first and Nigeria would be fifth. Everyone would have laughed at you. This is what has happened now in African soccer. [The gap between countries has narrowed],” Broos told journalists.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“I was with Cameroon in 2017, and recently I was with South Africa at the Afcon. The difference is that all those ‘little’ countries have progressed a lot. When you look at those teams, they don’t only have local players, but also those who play abroad. So, they have become stronger.” </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Broos (72) believes that the race for the World Cup spot in Group C will not be decided any time soon. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“If you talk about the gap, I don’t think that there will be a big gap until the last game. It will be tough until the last game, and every team will have to play for a victory. It won’t be easy.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“We now have to play Zimbabwe on Tuesday and we need the three points. I will not be happy if we don’t win against Zimbabwe. But it is easy to say that behind the microphone. I know that it is going to be a tough game,” he said.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bafana Bafana’s clash with Zimbabwe will be played at Free State Stadium on Tuesday, 11 June. Kick-off is at 6pm. </span><b>DM</b>",
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"description": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Heading into his team’s latest round of Fifa World Cup qualifiers for the 2026 instalment of the tournament, Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos said his team was aiming for a maximum of six points or a minimum of four.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the first match of this second batch of qualification games — played in Uyo, Nigeria — Bafana Bafana and the Super Eagles played to a one-all stalemate. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Though South Africa produced some silky and sumptuous interplay — anchored by their playmaker and scorer on Friday, Themba Zwane — they could not knock the Nigerians down and the star-studded home side equalised early in the second stanza through Fisayo Dele-Bashiru.</span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2224086\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"720\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2224086\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/TL_2224470.jpg\" alt=\"bafana south africa world cup qualifier\" width=\"720\" height=\"480\" /> <em>Ngezana Siyabonga of South Africa in action against Nigeria in Uyo on 7 June. (Photo: Victor Ihechi / Gallo Images)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Broos said the result was fair as “we had our chances and Nigeria had their chances”, but neither side could capitalise beyond the goal each scored in the entertaining contest.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bafana Bafana’s Belgian boss lauded his team’s ever-improving mentality. South Africa took almost a full day to travel to Uyo because of technical problems en route. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, against the Super Eagles, there were no signs of mental or physical fatigue as Bafana Bafana matched the home side at every turn, even surpassing them at times, despite the Nigerians enjoying home advantage. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“We had a terrible trip to Nigeria on Wednesday. We were only in bed at two on Thursday morning. So, we spent 20 hours travelling. And when you see the mentality of the team today, I can only be proud of my players,” Broos told journalists.</span>\r\n<h4><b>Long road ahead </b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The draw placed Bafana Bafana on four points from three matches. They still have another seven games to play — including Tuesday’s battle in Bloemfontein against neighbours Zimbabwe.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Africa are grouped with Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Benin and Lesotho. With five points accumulated to date, the latter nation surprisingly sits at the summit of the mini-league.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Only the group winner will be one of the nine African countries guaranteed a place at the Canada, US and Mexico-hosted World Cup.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Broos, who won the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) with Cameroon in 2017 and led South Africa to bronze at the event in 2023, believes that even though the qualification journey is still embryonic, the gap between so-called powerhouse nations and minnows has drastically reduced in recent years.</span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2224085\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"720\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2224085\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/TL_2224459.jpg\" alt=\"bafana south africa world cup qualifier\" width=\"720\" height=\"442\" /> <em>Mvala Mothobi and Ngezana Siyabonga of South Africa during the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifier against Nigeria on 7 June. (Photo; Victor Ihechi/Gallo Images)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Imagine three or four years ago you said, in a group like this, Lesotho would be first and Nigeria would be fifth. Everyone would have laughed at you. This is what has happened now in African soccer. [The gap between countries has narrowed],” Broos told journalists.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“I was with Cameroon in 2017, and recently I was with South Africa at the Afcon. The difference is that all those ‘little’ countries have progressed a lot. When you look at those teams, they don’t only have local players, but also those who play abroad. So, they have become stronger.” </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Broos (72) believes that the race for the World Cup spot in Group C will not be decided any time soon. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“If you talk about the gap, I don’t think that there will be a big gap until the last game. It will be tough until the last game, and every team will have to play for a victory. It won’t be easy.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“We now have to play Zimbabwe on Tuesday and we need the three points. I will not be happy if we don’t win against Zimbabwe. But it is easy to say that behind the microphone. I know that it is going to be a tough game,” he said.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bafana Bafana’s clash with Zimbabwe will be played at Free State Stadium on Tuesday, 11 June. Kick-off is at 6pm. </span><b>DM</b>",
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Ngezana Siyabonga of South Africa in action against Nigeria in Uyo on 7 June. (Photo: Victor Ihechi / Gallo Images)
Mvala Mothobi and Ngezana Siyabonga of South Africa during the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifier against Nigeria on 7 June. (Photo; Victor Ihechi/Gallo Images)