Bafana Bafana’s impressive 12-match unbeaten run came to an end in a rainy clash against Rwanda, with the hosts securing a 2-0 victory in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Innocent Nshuti and Gilbert Mugisha scored the goals for Rwanda, who capitalised on their home advantage despite the challenging conditions at Huye Stadium.
Under the guidance of Belgian coach Hugo Broos, South Africa had entered the match with high hopes, having last tasted defeat in June 2022 against Morocco. However, they were unable to find a breakthrough against a resilient Rwandan defense.
HUGO BROOS’ FRUSTRATION
Broos expressed his frustration with the pitch conditions after the match, calling them “unbelievable for a qualifier” and urging CAF and FIFA to implement stricter standards.
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Despite the challenging conditions, Broos acknowledged that his team’s performance was not up to par. “We had clear-cut opportunities, but we failed to capitalise,” he admitted. “We struggled to create chances as the game went on.”
The defeat marks a setback for South Africa’s World Cup qualifying campaign, but Broos remains confident in his team’s ability to bounce back. “We will learn from this and come back stronger in the next match,” he declared.
Bafana are second in Group C of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers after collecting three points against Benin in the opener.
Rwanda’s win saw them go top with four points. In their opening match, they played a goalless draw against Zimbabwe at the same venue.
Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Lesotho all sit on two points after starting off with draws.