The head coach of South Africa, Hugo Broos, expressed motivation for his team to face Nigeria in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) semi-finals in Côte d’Ivoire.
During a pre-match conference on Tuesday, Broos emphasized that reaching the semi-finals was a source of motivation for them, citing their country’s recent performance at the AFCON.
“We are very happy and motivated that we will play tomorrow in the semi-finals of the AFCON.
“For many people, it was unexpected, but we did it and ensured South Africa became a team to be reckoned with on the continent.
“Also, it’s more than 20 years ago that South Africa played in the semi-finals.
“Even more than that, we played in the finals, so what that means is that we have a lot of motivation,” he said.
The Belgian tactician admitted to Nigeria’s quality but still maintained his confidence in his squad for the crucial game.
“We are playing against a good team tomorrow, number six in the ranking; that means a lot for our players.
“Nigeria has had the upper hand on South Africa in recent meetings, but it’s not a worrying situation for us.
“For many, Nigeria are the favourite to win, but that’s not always the case in football.