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South Africa coach Hugo Broos smiles a lot and snarls a little as he prepares for the biggest match of his 38-year career as a tactician.Having reached the knockout phase of the World Cup for the first time, Bafana Bafana (The Boys) face Canada on Sunday in Los Angeles in the first last-32 fixture.The joy of the 74-year-old Belgian grandfather stems from succeeding where various coaches, including renowned Brazilian Carlos Alberto Parreira, failed.A 1-0 midweek victory over higher-ranked South Korea, through a goal from winger Thapelo Maseko, earned South Africa second place in Group A and qualification for the knockout stage.It was a triumphant end to a mini-league campaign that began badly two weeks ago when Bafana performed poorly in a 2-0 loss to joint hosts Mexico.A slight improvement in a 1-1 draw with the Czech Republic, courtesy of a late Teboho Mokoena penalty, left many South Africans pessimistic before facing the Koreans.But the team prevailed, displaying passion largely lacking in the earlier matches. More clinical finishing would have produced a wider winning margin in Mexico.Recalling the victory over Korea, Broos told AFP the team he has coached since 2021 “believed in itself”.”It was a hugely emotional moment – getting past the group stage for the first time,” said Broos, who guided Cameroon to the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title.”We were not good against Mexico and a little better against the Czechs. That meant we had to defeat Korea. There was enormous pressure on us, but we made it.”We are ready for the Canadians. My team will fight for 90 minutes, and longer if necessary. Let us hope for another good result.”‘I do things my way’ Should South Africa eliminate Canada – who are 22 places higher in the world rankings – they will face the Netherlands or Morocco in a last-16 tie.But amid the happiness after first-round exits from the 1998, 2002 and 2010 World Cups, Broos was angry at some criticism after the Mexico loss.”There was a a lot of criticism from current and former coaches and players and some supporters. They must know that I do things my way.”I do not read social media trash. I never listen to people who think they are important. It would be better for them to shut up.”Someone suggested a statue should be erected by South Africans in my honour. I told them to make it of wood so it burns quickly when we fail.”After the 2010 World Cup, South Africa endured a decade of underachievement, often failing to qualify for the AFCON and missing three consecutive World Cup tournaments.When Broos took charge in 2021, Bafana were attracting crowds of less than 200. Before departing for the 2026 World Cup, they drew 50,000 supporters to a warm-up match.After finishing third at the 2024 AFCON and winning a 2026 World Cup qualifying group including Nigeria, Bafana slumped.They made a last-16 exit from the 2025 AFCON and, before overcoming South Korea, went seven matches without winning.Broos partly blamed the early AFCON departure from Morocco on allegations before the African tournament that he was a racist and sexist.Angry at the late arrival of centre-back Mbekezeli Mbokazi for training, Broos said the player “would enter my hotel room as a black and leave as a white”.A South African Football Association official defended Broos, telling AFP “it was an unfortunate choice of words concerning a tongue lashing in a country with a troubled racial background”.Broos, who was part of the Belgium squad that reached the 1986 World Cup semi-finals in Mexico, was also unhappy that Mbokazi chose to leave Soweto club Orlando Pirates for Chicago Fire this year instead of moving to Europe.He called the mixed-race agent of the defender “a nice little woman who thinks she knows about football”. Neither the threatened racism nor sexism charges by a lawmaker materialised. Related Story Source link
This aerial photograph shows boats anchored off Oman’s northern Musandam Peninsula near the Strait of Hormuz Saturday. (AFP)…
Four people were killed and 16 others injured in a series of weather-related incidents caused by heavy rains in the Bannu district of Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, regional authorities said on Saturday.The Provincial Disaster Management Authority said strong winds damaged a number of homes in different areas, resulting in deaths and injuries among residents. The severe weather also led to livestock losses, the authority said.Local authorities and emergency agencies continue to carry out relief operations in the affected areas, while a comprehensive assessment is underway to determine the extent of the damage and losses.The authority urged residents to exercise caution during adverse weather conditions and avoid buildings at risk of collapse.Such incidents are common in Pakistan during the monsoon season, when severe weather fluctuations often result in casualties and property damage. Source link
Norway’s Erling Haaland during training at UNC Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina, United States. (Reuters) Norwegian striker Erling Haaland has been keeping himself busy ahead of his side’s opening World Cup game against Iraq by playing golf and video games, and even helping to prepare teammate Leo Ostigard for fatherhood as the defender’s first child is due any day now.Haaland became a dad for the first time in late 2025 but Ostigard will miss the birth of his firstborn due to his involvement with Norway who are appearing at a World Cup finals for the first time since 1998.Asked on the Norwegian team’s World Cup YouTube channel “Spillerhotellet” (The Players’ Hotel) if he had any tips he could offer his team-mate, Haaland laughed.”Well, first of all, I would have said to be present during the birth, that’s the first tip I would give him!” the striker said. “It will be a new daily routine for him, a tough time but it’s a lovely time as well.”The Norwegians have been preparing for their Group I clashes with Iraq, Senegal and France at their base in Greensboro, North Carolina, and Haaland has been helping Ostigard get into golf during their downtime.”There’s been a lot of golf, I’m a beginner there and Erling is pretty good, so it’s been nice to play a bit of golf and do some other things as well,” Ostigard said.”Everyone does their own thing. Some play cards, we don’t, we play golf, we joke, we play a bit of (Super) Mario, a bit of Pokemon and so on. We know how to enjoy ourselves,” Haaland added.It’s a good thing for the Norwegians that they have plenty of hobbies as, with 48 teams taking part in the World Cup, they will not join the fray until Wednesday when they take on Iraq in Boston, almost a week after the opening games.”It feels good, I’m really looking forward to starting, I’m starting to get a bit restless,” Haaland said. “I’m looking forward to it, it’s just a matter of pushing on to the first match, and then we have to hope for the best.” HAALAND ENJOYS STANLEY CUP FINALDays before his World Cup debut, Manchester City striker Erling Haaland and several of his Norway teammates took a chance to relax at game five of the NHL Stanley Cup Final on Thursday.A smiling Haaland waved to Carolina Hurricanes fans when he and his teammates were shown on the giant scoreboard screens at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina.As they cheered, the 25-year-old Manchester City striker enthusiastically twirled a small Hurricanes rally towel handed out to fans by the home team, who came into the contest tied with the Las Vegas Golden Knights at 2-2 in the best-of-seven championship series.Haaland is playing his first World Cup, leading a Norway team that’s back in the tournament for the first time since 1998.They open their campaign against Iraq on Tuesday in Boston and will also face Senegal and France in Group I.But their World Cup base camp is in Greensboro, North Carolina, about 80 miles from Raleigh and Thursday’s game was a chance to take in some elite ice hockey.The sport has gained prominence in the Nordic nation with Norway’s upset victory over Canada in the World Championships bronze medal match in Switzerland in May. Related Story Source…
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