Bafana earn hard-fought, vitally important opening Afcon win

Bafana Bafana started their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 win over a stubborn Angola on a chilly Monday night in Morocco’s fourth-largest city Marrakesh.

In the build-up to this crucial match victory that was secured through goals in either half by Oswin Appollis (21st minute) and Lyle Foster (79th) here at Marrakesh Stadium, coach Hugo Broos and captain Ronwen Williams had repeatedly emphasised the importance of starting with three points.

That mission has been accomplished as South Africa have valuable points on the board that will serve as a morale booster given their next match is against seven-time champions Egypt on Boxing Day (Friday) in the coastal city of Agadir.

After that, Bafana will be looking to seal qualification for the last 16 when they meet always tricky neighbours Zimbabwe back here in Marrakesh next week.

This is a better start than the beginning of last year’s tournament in Ivory Coast, where Bafana began the Afcon with a 2-0 loss to Mali but recovered to ultimately earn a best finish in 24 years of third place.

Monday night’s was a vitally important opening day win for South Africa where Angola enjoyed a better first half, making life tough for Bafana, Show had equalised in the 35th.

Broos picked a team that included key players like Williams, Khuliso Mudau, Mbekezeli Mokazi, Aubrey Modiba, Sphephelo Sithole, Teboho Mokoena and Lyle Foster and the balance was right to deal with this notably hard-to-beat side.

Bafana suffered an early scare in the third minute when an Angolan attacker Gelson Dala tested Williams with a close-range header and that sparked a reaction from Bafana, who started to put together combination play.

As they found their feet in the game, they started piecing passes together and one of their moves nearly ended with Mohau Nkota and Foster testing Angola goalkeeper Hugo Marques.

Angola reacted and in the 15th minute captain Alfredo Ribeiro was allowed space inside the box to unleash a powerful shot that was parried to safety by an alert Williams.

Bafana opened the scoring when attacker Apollis finished with a well-taken shot that beat Marques after a neatly worked move that was started by Aubrey Modiba.

Though beyond, Angola were not disheartened as they continued to push forward in search of the equaliser and nearly got it just before the half-hour mark when Dala was denied by Williams from close range.

Angola’s persistence paid off in the 35th when Manuel Cafumana, known simply as Show, snuck in at the near post to beat marker Foster and Williams with an outstretched leg for a deserved equaliser from a free kick conceded by Ngezana.

Broos took a chance from the break by bringing on Tshepang Moremi for Nkota and it would have been an inspired substitution quickly rewarded if the lively Orlando Pirates winger’s 51st-minute strike was not disallowed by VAR for Foster’s offside.

A few minutes later, South Africa surged forward and their move resulted in Mbokazi unleashing a piledriver from outside the box that rebounded off the crossbar with Marques beaten.

South Africa did not stop asking questions and Foster increased their lead when he rifled a beautifully struck, curling shot past Marques.

After the goal, Broos close managed the game when he replaced Appollis and Mbule with Elias Mokwana and Bathusi Aubaas as Bafana held on to register a win that really should go a long way towards helping them progress to the next stage.