Bafana Bafana defeated Benin 2-1 to get their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign on a winning note at Moses Mabhida Stadium.
Coach Hugo Broos and his players had wanted a victory in their opening match of Group C and Percy Tau got the ball rolling when he scored the opening goal of the match in the third minute. The South African senior men’s national team was in control in the first half and increased the lead shortly before the halftime break through Khuliso Mudau.
But the visitors fought their way back in the second half when Benin’s Steve Mounie pulled a goal back in the 69th minute.
Broos thanked the Durban supporters for coming out in numbers to cheer on the team and added that Benin produced a more aggressive display in the second half.
“But we kept working hard till the end of the match, and that was the most important thing in this game. I was very happy to see the crowd today, the team deserves this kind of support,” said Broos.
Bafana Bafana returned back to Johannesburg immediately after the game and will face Rwanda in the second qualifier on Tuesday, November 21, and then return to South Africa on November 22.
