South African coach Hugo Broos was left lamenting the cruel nature of football after his team’s heartbreaking penalty shootout defeat to Super Eagles of Nigeria in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations semi-final.
Despite a spirited performance and a resolute defensive display, Bafana Bafana fell short on penalties, their AFCON dream ending with a 4-2 shootout loss, Footballrover reports.
The match had been a tense affair, with both sides cancelling out each other’s goals through penalties from William Troost-Ekong and Teboho Mokoena.
Bafana Bafana forced extra-time, but it was the Super Eagles goalkeeper, who however emerged star in the shootout, saving two penalties.
“Football can be hard. Okay, that can happen in football,” Broos said in a post-match press conference, his voice heavy with disappointment.
“It’s a big disappointment for everyone because we feel that we played a very good game today, that we played a very good AFCON,” he added.
Despite the gut-wrenching defeat, Broos couldn’t hide his pride in his players’ efforts.
While acknowledging the sting of the defeat, Broos preferred to focus on the positives and build on this performance for the future.
We fought our fight! And will continue doing so till the end! Thank you again South Africa for standing with us throughout #TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 #AFCON2023 #BafanaPride ❤️???????? pic.twitter.com/XzfTUufmya
— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) February 7, 2024
Bafana Bafana’s AFCON journey may be over, but their work isn’t done.
They’ll now turn their attention to the third-place playoff against Congo DR, aiming to end the tournament on a high.
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