Bafana Bafana launched their Africa Cup of Nations campaign with a 2-1
victory over Angola on Monday, with head coach Hugo Broos crediting a
pivotal halftime change for the turnaround.
After an unconvincing first half, goals from Oswin Appollis and Lyle Foster
secured the win against their COSAFA rivals. Broos expressed his
dissatisfaction with the initial performance, warning that a loss would have
created serious pressure ahead of facing Egypt.
“We tried to avoid that situation because if you lose today, then you have
Egypt next and you are in big trouble,” Broos told SABC Sport. “I wasn’t
pleased with our first half. Even after going 1-0 up, we fell asleep and
allowed Angola back into the game.”
The coach rectified things at the break, introducing Tshepang Moremi. The
substitute made an immediate impact, injecting pace and directness into the
attack. Moremi had a goal disallowed and provided the crucial assist for
Foster’s winner.
“Tshepang did wonderfully coming into the team,” Broos praised. “Suddenly
there was speed, we were dangerous, and we created chances. He was a
constant threat to our opponents and performed excellently in his 45
minutes.”
The tactical shift ensured a dominant second-half display, fulfilling
Broos’s vision for the team as they started their tournament on a winning
note.
