We never had any doubt we will qualify – Morena
Bafana Bafana utility player Thapelo Morena says the belief the players had was key in clinching a spot in the 2026 Fifa World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico.
Bafana beat Rwanda 3-0 at Mbombela Stadium on Tuesday night to confirm their place in the World Cup next year.
Heading into the match, they were second in Group C, trailing Benin by two points. They needed Nigeria to do them a favour by beating Benin in their match in Uyo, also on Tuesday night, and Bafana to win against Rwanda, to qualify.
Morena insisted they never doubted themselves, and had the belief they could qualify. “The coach [Hugo Broos] believed in us 100% that we can do it and, as players, if you believe, anything is possible. After the game [against Zimbabwe], we changed our mentality, and we had to play at our level best and grind out results on the pitch,” he told the media after the match.
Bafana showed hunger and determination against Rwanda, and it didn’t take them long to break the deadlock through Thalente Mbatha, before Oswin Appollis netted the second in the first half. Evidence Makgopa then netted the third in the second half.
Mohau Nkota, who replaced Morena in the first half, said they were proud to have qualified for the World Cup, and that this means a lot to the players. “Coming into the Bafana setup was not easy. I’m happy to be here and proud of the team,” Nkota said.
“The coach told us to score goals to win the game. That’s what he told us, and we did that.”
Sowetan
