Bafana Bafana begin Afcon quest on rare winning note after downing Angola

Bafana Bafana clinched a 2-1 victory over Angola in their opening Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) match on Monday, 22 December. Goals from Oswin Appollis and Burnley striker Lyle Foster in each half secured a hard-fought victory for coach Hugo Broos’s men.

South Africa (SA) had not won its opening game in Afcon since 2004, when they beat Benin 2-0. At the 2023 edition, Bafana Bafana were vanquished 2-0 by Mali in their opener.

Orlando Pirates winger Appollis opened the scoring for Bafana in the 21st minute after pouncing on a Khuliso Mudau cross that was bobbling around the Angolan box.

The Angolans, who had been knocking ever since SA opened the scoring, equalised in the 35th minute through a toe-poke finish at the near post by Turkey-based midfielder Manuel Show.

Substitute Tshepang Moremi, who replaced Mohau Nkota at half-time, thought he had equalised for Bafana Bafana six minutes into the second stanza.

However, after a video assistant referee check, the winger’s strike was chalked off as striker Lyle Foster was ruled to have been offside in the lead-up to the goal.

A few minutes later, Chicago Fire defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi struck the post from distance, with Angolan goalkeeper Hugo Marques well beaten.

Soccer-SA v Ang
Bafana Bafana midfielder Sphephelo Sithole anchored the team during their 2-1 win over Angola in their Africa Cup of Nations on 22 December 2025 in Marrakech, Morocco. (Photo Mahugnon Leopold Soglo/Gallo Images)
The two teams continued exchanging blows in the second stanza. Until English Premier League-based Foster found a way with a curling shot on 79 minutes.

Game. Set. Match.

Through their win over the Angolans, the South Africans extended their unbeaten run to 27 matches. Next, they face a tougher task against Egypt on 26 December.

The build-up

During a match which did not come close to attracting a crowd that would fill up the 41,000-capacity Marrakech Stadium, Broos chose to stick with the tried and tested.

His lineup included regulars such as captain Ronwen Williams, as well as defenders Mudau, Mbokazi and Aubrey Modiba. Further forward, the likes of Teboho Mokoena, Foster and Appollis were present.

In the build-up to the match, Broos had spoken about the difficulties of travelling to Morocco from SA.

“The journey was very difficult – 26 hours of flying. I even lost my suitcase, I don’t know where it is,” Broos said, “But that’s not an excuse. We are here now and we must play a good match [against Angola]. The trip was tiring, but football does not allow excuses.”

Prior to the game, Broos had also lamented the fact that he did not immediately have all his players available to him. Foster, as well as fellow Europe-based Siyabonga Ngezana and Shandre Campbell joined the camp late.

Soccer-SA v Ang
By beating Angola at the Marrakesh Stadium in Morocco on 22 December, Bafana Bafana ended an opening game winless streak that stretched 21 years. (Photo Mahugnon Leopold Soglo/Gallo Images)
“Preparation was complicated because some players were not there at the beginning,” Broos stated. “But now that everyone is present, the atmosphere in training has changed. The new players are adapting, the problems have been solved, and we are ready to go and fight for the win.”

Though their match against Angola showed some of this rustiness, they managed to leap this hurdle. As the tournament progresses, the cohesion in the team will improve.