Hugo Broos Assesses Percy Tau’s Performance in Bafana’s Crucial Win

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has given a candid assessment of Percy Tau’s performance following the forward’s return to international duty in South Africa’s crucial 2-0 victory over Lesotho in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

South Africa Secures Key Win

The match at a sold-out New Peter Mokaba Stadium saw South Africa struggle with finishing before breaking the deadlock in the second half.

Orlando Pirates star Relebohile Mofokeng netted his first international goal in the 60th minute, while Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Jayden Adams doubled the lead four minutes later, securing Bafana’s place at the top of Group C.

Broos’ Honest Assessment of Tau

Tau, who recently moved to Qatar SC after limited game time at Al Ahly, was in the starting lineup but missed key chances before being substituted. Broos, however, remains optimistic about his progress.

“I think, and I’ve said it before, that we couldn’t be happy with Percy’s performances in the previous games. But today, you can tell he played a fantastic game and worked a lot. When you don’t play regularly, you lose rhythm. Now that he’s playing in Qatar, we’ll start seeing the best of Percy again,” Broos admitted.

The coach added: “He can always do more, and we expect more, but I’m very happy with his effort for the team.”

Road to World Cup Qualification

With the victory, South Africa leads Group C with 10 points, two ahead of Benin, who squandered a 2-0 lead to draw against Zimbabwe. A win against Benin in Abidjan on Tuesday will keep Bafana Bafana in pole position, with crucial fixtures against Nigeria, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Rwanda still to come.

Broos made enforced changes due to injuries but praised his squad’s resilience. Despite the missed chances from Tau, Lyle Foster, and Mofokeng, the team’s patience paid off as they edged closer to their first World Cup qualification since 2002.