Sipho Mbule relieved as Bafana advance at AFCON

South Africa edged Zimbabwe 3-2 in a pulsating Group B encounter at the Stade de Marrakesh on Monday night, booking a round of 16 meeting with either Ivory Coast, Cameroon or Mozambique on Sunday.

Mbule admitted the team were desperate to get over the line after a tense group-stage campaign which included Angola and Egypt.

"We are very much relieved. Everyone showed hunger, discipline and the will to win and to make it past the group stage."

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The opponents seem to force Mbule to play a lot with his back to goal, but the talisman believes it is an area he will have to improve on going forward.

"Coach gave me some tools and advice for the second half, saying that I should move a little bit more and that I mustn't stay too long with the defensive midfielder.

"With what he told me, I'm definitely going to use it going forward." 

Coach Hugo Broos admitted there were moments he did not recognise his team, while Lyle Foster explained why he felt they drifted in and out of the match.

"I don't know if it was anxiousness or what, because I think we were really prepared. Once we scored one we relaxed a bit and they were able to turn it on. We know that we're a vey good team, so we know that we just have to shake off those mistakes."