Bafana Bafana’s AFCON semifinals qualification to change global perceptions about SA footballers

These were the words of Bafana head coach Hugo Broos when SABC Sport asked him what the progression of the team to the AFCON semis meant to this team.

Bafana beat Cape Verde 2-1 on penalties after the game had finished goalless after extra time, to make the semis for the first time since 2000, a tournament that was hosted jointly by Nigeria and Ghana.

Broos has more on what this qualification means for SA football.

READ: If you can save four penalties, it's not luck - Hugo Broos on Ronwen Williams

"I think a lot, we came here and I think there were many people in South Africa that didn't believe in the team but we believed in it. The players believed in the fact that it could happen and it happened. I think this is a very, very good thing for South African football. South African players are in the picture now, so, that means there will be more interest in South African football," Broos said.

Broos has also been vocal in his first two years in SA about the standard of football and the quality of play in the Premier Soccer League (PSL).

He says the good run in this tournament should be a reminder to the elite league back home that they still need to improve on all aspects of the game.

"And I hope that those who saw the games and I think that will be a lot of people, who saw those games, are now convinced that PSL level has to be higher. We have to work on that. We play very intensive games and you see like today [Saturday night], some players are suffering from that. So, that means that the level has to be higher. I think it's the right moment now to do that," Broos added.