Bafana Bafana have been warned against underestimating the so-called small teams in their upcoming games in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
This cautionary message comes from Benin head coach Gernot Rohr after his men suffered a 2-1 defeat against Bafana in the opening game of their World Cup qualifiers in Group C on Saturday.
Navigating the path to the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by Mexico, the United States, and Canada, won’t be a stroll in the park for the national team.
However, national teams such as Benin, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Rwanda, the ‘minnows’, should not present unconquerable obstacles for Bafana.
In Group C, Nigeria and South Africa are the only two teams to have previously qualified for the World Cup, and they stand out as the frontrunners in this round of qualifying.
Bafana, who are set to take on Rwanda away from home in their second game of the qualifiers on Tuesday, will be eager to extend their lead at the summit of the log standings.
But Rohr has urged them to maintain a measured approach, emphasising that the World Cup qualifying campaign is a marathon, not a sprint.
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ROHR WARNS BAFANA AGAINST COMPLACENCY
He also cautioned them against complacency. “When I arrived a few months ago, there were a lot of players that were over 30,” said Rohr.
“We had to bring in a lot of younger players, so we’re still in this period of building and constructing a new team.
“That’s why I’m optimistic for the future because a game against Bafana allowed them to learn a lot and will make them progress.
“In this competition now we have six countries. Playing 10 games is very long, and we already saw some surprises with Nigeria drawing.”