‘ONS IS NIE SWAKKER’

SOUTH Africa coach Hugo Broos rejected suggestions his team had regressed after they exited the Africa Cup of Nations in the last 16 against Cameroon on Sunday, and turned his focus towards the approaching World Cup.

A 2-1 defeat against the Indomitable Lions in Rabat ended Bafana Bafana’s campaign in the first knockout round, two years after they finished third at the last AFCON in Ivory Coast.

Cameroon led 1-0 at halftime through a Junior Tchamadeu strike before doubling their advantage straight after the interval as Christian Kofane made it 2-0.

Two minutes before the regulation 90 minutes were up, Bafana struck as Evidence Makgopa found the back of the net, but it proved to be scant consolation as Bafana crashed out at the first knockout stage.

“We don’t go backwards - maybe in some games performances were not at the level of South Africa that everyone knows, but you can’t say that for [this match],” said Broos.

SA qualified from their group in second place behind Egypt, claiming narrow and unconvincing wins against Angola and Zimbabwe either side of a defeat against the Pharaohs.

And Broos added: “Sometimes you need luck on your side...

“We didn’t have luck on our side [against Cameroon]. We are not going backwards but we do have to make a good evaluation of what happened here at this tournament as we look forward to the World Cup.”

South Africa have qualified for the World Cup for the first time since hosting the tournament in 2010.

Their next matches will be friendly games in March as they step up preparations for the finals in North America.