Hugo Broos, the head coach of South Africa, has expressed his disappointment at not guiding Bafana Bafana to the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire. Despite a memorable tournament that saw South Africa reach the semifinals for the first time in 24 years, they fell short against Nigeria, losing 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in regulation and extra time.

Broos believes Nigeria did not do enough to deserve a spot in the final at the expense of his team. Despite acknowledging Nigeria’s second-half chances and the winning penalty, Broos highlighted South Africa’s strong performance, particularly in the first half.

The Belgian tactician expressed his frustration, stating that if South Africa had capitalized on their late chances, they would be heading to the final instead of Nigeria. Broos commended his team’s overall performance throughout the tournament and expressed pride in their achievements.

Despite the disappointment, South Africa will face DR Congo in the third-place match, while Nigeria will meet hosts Cote d’Ivoire in the title decider.