Rwanda defeated South Africa 2-0 in Tuesday’s FIFA World Cup qualifying fixture in Butare.
Innocent Nshuti and Gilbert Mugisha scored in the 12th and 28th minute, respectively, for the hosts.
Prior to Tuesday’s defeat, Bafana Bafana defender Siyanda Xulu had questioned the validity of playing World Cup qualifiers shortly before the Africa Cup of Nations, which will start early next year.
“I think we lost the game in the first 25 minutes. We were not ready for the kick and rush football of Rwanda,” said South Africa coach Hugo Broos.
“I told the players that they have to be careful of that in the first 20 to 25 minutes. We gave them two presents – two goals. Players were ready to go into duels. The second goal we had the ball and they took it and scored.”
Broos lamented conditions, in particular the Huye Stadium’s waterlogged artificial surface after a thunderstorm shortly before kick-off.
“When you see the first 20 minutes, it’s unbelievable that a qualifier of a World Cup is played on such a pitch,” he added.
“We’re talking about professional football and this pitch is not professional.”
South Africa beat Benin 2-1 in last week’s group C World Cup qualifier in Durban. They have also been pooled with Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Lesotho in group C.
Elsewhere in Tuesday’s World Cup qualifiers, Burkina Faso beat Ehtiopia 3-0, Tunisia beat Malawi 1-0, Uganda beat Somalia 1-0, Botswana beat Guinea 1-0 – and Benin and Lesotho drew 0-0.
Meanwhile, Cape Verde beat Eswatini 2-0, Comoros beat Ghana 1-0, Namibia beat Sao Tome and Principe 2-0 – and Cameroon and Libya drew 1-1.
