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South African head coach, Hugo Broos, has emphasized that the battle for third place in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations will largely be a mental one. The Bafana Bafana are set to face the Democratic Republic of Congo in the third-place match at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan on Saturday.
After suffering a 4-2 penalty shootout defeat to Nigeria in the semi-finals, Broos believes that the key to securing third place will be how his team mentally recovers from the heartbreaking loss. He expressed that South Africa played a very good game against Nigeria and showed that they are a great team. Despite the disappointment of their defeat, Broos remains confident in his team’s abilities.
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According to Broos, the mental recovery of both teams will be crucial in determining the outcome of the third-place match. He acknowledged that it was difficult for both South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo to cope with the disappointment of their respective semi-final defeats, and it will be a test of mental strength for both sides in the upcoming game.
Broos reflected on South Africa’s performance against Nigeria, describing it as a great display by the team. He expressed that exiting the tournament after such a strong performance was a huge disappointment, but he remains optimistic about the team’s potential. He highlighted the importance of mental recovery for both teams as they prepare for the third-place match on Saturday.
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