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Former Bafana Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane says Hugo Broos’ side should not underestimate Zimbabwe ahead of their FIFA World Cup qualifier on Tuesday, though he has backed his home country to qualify for the world spectacle in 2026.

Having played out to a one-all draw against Nigeria, Bafana Bafana will have a home fixture against neighbouring Zimbabwe in Bloemfontein on Tuesday.

Their former coach Mosimane, who is in the country after another stint in Saudi Arabia has thrown his weight behind Bafana, saying they have what it takes to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

“I think at this point in time, we have a good team. We have a good coach. Yes, people were doubting whether he is the right one or not. But he has proven that he can take the team to the semi finals of [AFCON], so it shows that we have a good team. But the good team is not only the coach, it’s the players. We have players like Teboho Mokoena and them that play Champions League, they have the experience also, so Sundowns’ players have really contributed to the national team,” he told the Siya crew.

“The likes of Themba Zwane, I think he is playing Champions League 10 years in a row. No? So, they have experience, that’s why I say it’s not only the coach, it’s the players also, you know, and they want to win it and they’ve showed in the Cup of Nations by being in the semifinals that you are a force to be reckoned with.

“I think we have an opportunity, we have a chance, you know Zimbabwe, its always a derby. Never ever underestimate them. They always give us trouble. Don’t say there was no league, yes, there was no league and they’re not organized like Zimbabwe, as we always know, but they came back now to international football, I think they were banned for three years. And they don’t have that Zimbabwe team of the Khama Billiat, Knowledge Musona and all those big, big players. But maybe it’s time for the younger ones in Zimbabwe to come up and they can surprise, but Zimbabwe and South Africa is always a local derby.

“But I think we have an opportunity to go to the World Cup and it’s good. Because now this World Cup is enlarged, before was five teams [from Africa], now it’s nine, plus one will play, play-off forever. So I think we have a chance. We’ve been to the semi finals of AFCON, we were in the last four. So they need they need nine now, so we will make it,” he said. -snl24.com