The three points that Bafana Bafana earned by beating Zimbabwe 3-1 in their World Cup qualification fixture on Tuesday ensures that the team's destiny remains in its own hands.

There was a time when South Africa soccer supporters knew that when Bafana Bafana were about to embark on a qualification journey for a major tournament, it was imperative to sharpen their arithmetic skills.

However, under Hugo Broos's tutelage, these mental and mathematical gymnastics appear to be history. South Africa's senior men's soccer side beat neighbours Zimbabwe 3-1 in Bloemfontein on Tuesday night to ensure that their bid to qualify for the 2026 Fifa World Cup remains firmly in their hands.

In front of an almost-capacity crowd which had braved a chilly winter evening to grace the 46,000-seater Free State Stadium, Bafana Bafana sprinted into the lead in just 30 seconds of play. Stellenbosch striker Iqraam Rayners pounced on a lapse in concentration by Zimbabwe's defence to hand his country a dream start.

The dream soon turned into a nightmare though as the visitors counterpunched immediately, with Tawanda Chirewa scoring the Warriors' equalising goal less than two minutes after South Africa's opener.

Iterations of Bafana Bafana that were present before the arrival of Belgian coach Broos in 2021 might have crumbled and withered away following this setback. However, under the 72-year-old's guidance, the South Africans have shown incredible mental fortitude...