Bafana Bafana wary of synthetic pitch ahead of Congo rematch

South Africa coach Hugo Broos has warned his team against underestimating Congo when the teams rematch in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers on Tuesday 15 October.

The Group K fixture is set for the Alphonse Massemba-Debat Stadium in Brazzaville, with kick-off at 6pm CAT.

Bafana Bafana claimed an emphatic 5-0 win over the Red Devils at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Friday night, with Teboho Mokoena (two), Bathusi Aubaas, Lyle Foster and Iqraam Rayners all finding the back of the net.

The result saw SA join Uganda (who beat bottom-of-the-log South Sudan 1-0 on the same day) at the top of the log on seven points – four points clear of Congo, and likely needing just one more win to clinch a top-two finish and qualification for Morocco 2025.

However, Broos is wary of a wounded opponent, as well as the synthetic pitch at the venue. Bafana have notably struggled on such artificial surfaces, the perfect example being their 2-0 loss at the hands of Rwanda in a 2026 World Cup qualifier at the Huye Stadium in Butare last November.

“My only concern is to see the pitch there,” said the Belgian tactician. “It’s a synthetic pitch. We have already in the past had bad experiences with synthetic pitches if they’re not good.

“I think of the one in Rwanda, that was really bad. I never understand that, how can you play a qualifier for a World Cup on such a pitch.

“But okay, let’s look first to that. And if the pitch is like, for example like the one in South Sudan [where South Africa won 3-2 last month], then we can’t complain.

“And then we have to be able also to play good football in that. But if the pitch is not good, it will be more of fighting football. Okay, if we have to do it like that, we will do it like that.

“But let’s hope that the pitch is good and we can make or play our best football like we’re used to because this team [Congo] will [want] revenge. They lost 5-0, I think there will be pressure on the guys.

“So we have to prepare for that also and be ready again for the difficult game but if we can achieve our level, play with same mentality, then we have big opportunity to win the game also.”

Congo coach Isaac Ngata played down the effect that their travel delays had on the match on Friday: “We didn’t have fresh games to prepare at home, we didn’t have a lot of time, but that’s not a problem.”

The Red Devils’ previous home match in Group G saw them defeat South Sudan 1-0 last month, thanks to an early goal from Chadrel Massanga.

In head-to-head stats, South Africa and Congo have met in 12 matches dating back as far as 1992. Bafana Bafana have claimed six wins compared to just one for the Red Devils, while four games have been drawn.