Broos confident of a sharper and improved Bafana against Cameroon

By Velile Mnyandu
4th January 2026

Expect a different Bafana Bafana from the team you’ve seen in the group stages at this 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), this is the bold message from head coach Hugo Broos.

The Belgian-born mentor faces his former team, the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon, in the fourth Round of 16 clash at the Al Medina Stadium in Rabat tonight, 20:00 (21:00, SA Time).

READ: Khuliso Mudau promises improvements ahead of Cameroon clash

There have been questions about Bafana’s performance in the group stages, despite winning two matches against Angola and Zimbabwe. Broos says they’ve found solutions to their problems...

"I think we expected more from our performances in the group stages. So, we spoke about it in the group, and we unpacked it at training. But that happens when you keep winning games and eventually get to a stage where you are not really performing well. But we addressed it and we are going back to basics and look to perform like we always do," said Broos.

Broos was the last non-African coach to win the AFCON in 2017, when he led Cameroon to the title in Gabon. Since then, Djamel Belmadi (Algeria in Egypt, 2019), Aliou Cisse (Senegal in Cameroon), and Emerse Fae (Ivory Coast, 2023). Broos has got a lot of respect for African coaches...

On the field of play, Bafana have an impressive record against the Indomitable Lions. In their first and only meeting in the AFCON tournament, they beat Cameroon 3-0 in the opening game of the 1996 tourney on home soil.

Bafana haven’t lost to the Central African giants since that 2-1 loss in the first game on the return to international football on the seventh of July 1992. Broos maintains that he will show no mercy to his former team...

"This is a special game for me since I have been with Cameroon before. But I want to assure you that there's no mercy tomorrow. I am the coach of South Africa, and I want to win the game," added Broos.

Broos, the longest serving Bafana Bafana coach going into five years at the helm by May this year, also made it clear yesterday that he doesn’t entertain the talk of revenge against Cameroon because he was sacked- 10 months after lifting the AFCON title with Cameroon, as their media claimed...

"Why should I have revenge, because I didn't renew my contract. I don't want to beat them because they sacked me, I want to beat them because I am the coach of South Africa. No revenge at all," he expressed.