Cape Town – Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has criticised VAR decisions after South Africa’s 1-0 loss to Egypt in their Afcon Group B match, saying even Mohamed Salah was surprised to be awarded the first-half penalty that decided the game.
Broos argued Khuliso Mudau did not deliberately foul Salah, as he had his back turned and was in control of the ball when the incident occurred.
“Even Salah said to me after the game that he was surprised it was a penalty,” said Broos on Friday after a press conference. folloeing the math.
Salah converted the spot kick, which proved to be the match-winner.
Broos was also angered by Bafana being denied a late penalty after the ball struck Yasser Ahmed’s arm in the box, with officials ruling it was his supporting arm.
WATCH | Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has raised concerns about the rules at the Africa Cup of Nations currently underway in Morocco. His comments follow Bafana Bafana’s 1–0 loss to Egypt. He says the team’s focus now shifts to a must-win match against Zimbabwe next week. pic.twitter.com/Vp8UypxWns
— SABC News (@SABCNews) December 26, 2025
He questioned the consistency and clarity of VAR and handball rules, saying the pre-tournament briefings left teams confused.
“In the (pre-tournament) meeting they said if the arm is extended away from the body, it is a penalty.
“Then they said it was his supporting arm. Who invented this supporting arm? His arm was extended and it hit his arm.
“I want to talk about the meeting you get before a tournament,” Broos had said at the start of the press conference.
😤 😡 HUGO BROOS
“ITS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS, EVEN MO SALAH SAID HE WAS SURPRISED IT WAS A PENALTY” ❌❌
Bafana coach fumes over penalty decisions and VAR call after losing 1-0 to Egypt 🇪🇬 #BetwaXMazola ⚫️ pic.twitter.com/VZnKNHEGDY
— Mazola J. Molefe (@superjourno) December 26, 2025
“For 45 minutes they explain the rules, there are 25 to 50 rules. It is a penalty, then it is not a penalty. It is a red card for a players and then it is not. By the end there are so many rules no one knows what to do.”
While Broos admitted Egypt were the better side in the first half, he felt Bafana dominated the second half, especially after Egypt were reduced to 10 men, but lacked the luck needed to score. He said the defeat would motivate his team ahead of their final group match against Zimbabwe.
“We lost today, but it is still only one game. What happened on the pitch today will certainly motivated us to give 200 percent when we play Zimbabwe on Monday.”
Bafana Bafana sit second in Group B, three points behind Egypt and two ahead of Angola and Zimbabwe, with one round of matches remaining.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
