Bafana Bafana midfielder Thalente Mbatha has urged his side to exert their confidence and come back strong against Zimbabwe.

South Africa will be aiming to bounce back after their 1-0 loss to Egypt in their second Group B match at the Le Grand Stade d’Agadir.

Bafana Bafana currently sit second in Group B with three points from two games, having recorded one win and one defeat.

Hugo Broos’ squad now shifts focus to a pivotal Group B clash against Zimbabwe at the Stade de Marrakech in Marrakesh.

“We went looking for the win in the second half, so for us it was about putting more attacks together and trying to secure a goal. The coach tried everything, it was just not a good day for us,” said Mbatha.

“It is frustrating because we believed it was a free-kick or a penalty for us. The referee went to the screen to check if it was a free-kick or a penalty, but we don’t know what to say. At the end of the day, his word is final.

“We must come back stronger and get a win on Monday. It is a matter of being confident and believing in our abilities. We do have the quality, but we must be sharper and wiser.”