Bafana into knockouts, but need to up their game after nervy Zim win

Bafana Bafana have achieved their minimum requirement of progressing beyond the group stages of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) despite a nervy 3-2 win over a stubborn Zimbabwe at Marrakesh Stadium on Monday.

Another hard-fought win to go with their opening 2-1 victory against Angola last Monday saw Hugo Broos’s team end second in Group B on six points to Egypt’s seven, as the Pharaohs ended with a 1-1 draw against Palancas Negras in Rabat.

The result, secured via goals by Tshepang Moremi (seventh minute), Lyle Foster (50th) and Oswin Appollis’s VAR-originated penalty (82nd) sees South Africa play whoever finishes second in Group F between Cameroon and Ivory Coast in the last 16 in Rabat on Sunday.

Angola ended third on two points and unfortunate Zimbabwe, who played in three tight contests and pushed South Africa all the way in a final Group B contest of seesawing fortunes where they equalised twice, took last place with one.

Bafana coach Hugo Broos will ask more of his players against powerhouses like Cameroon or Ivory Coast, because this was a far from convincing performance and there is much to iron out for the last-16 stage.

This was the third time in this tournament where Bafana failed to keep a clean sheet and this will be a concern for Broos and his coaching staff.

But Broos will be happy key players Khuliso Mudau, Teboho Mokoena, Aubrey Modiba, Foster and Sphephelo Sithole finished Monday’s match without suspensions as they were on yellow cards.

Broos started with one change from the team that lost 1-0 to Egypt on Friday with playmaker Sipho Mbule replacing Thalente Mbatha in midfield.

Mbule’s job was to provide much-needed creativity and unlock the Zimbabwean defence playing in front of central midfielder Teboho Mokoena and Sphephelo Sithole, but he was again not at his best.

Bafana lacked control in midfield, struggling against Daniel Msendani, Marvelous Nakamba and Jonah. This led to attackers Moremi, Appollis and Foster being in and out of the match.

The first real chance came after four minutes when Appollis found himself in the Zimbabwean danger area and his goal-bound shot hit defender Munashe Garananga.

Bafana got it right when Moremi’s shot from close range took a wicked deflecting off defender Divine Lunga to loop in over stranded goalkeeper Washington Arubi.

The goal came as a result of a well-orchestrated move started by Mbule and involved Modiba and Foster, who provided the assist.

It inspired a strong reaction from the Warriors as they started to put pressure on Bafana in search of the equaliser and they were rewarded in the 19th.

It came from a beauty by exciting attacker Tawanda Mashwanhise of Scottish Premiership club Motherwell, who dribbled past Sithole and Mbekezeli Mbokazi before putting the ball past a stranded Ronwen Williams.

Zimbabwe continued to increase the tempo and the close-range header of unmarked Garananga went over the crossbar.

Bafana reacted and five minutes from the break Mbule forced a fine one-handed save from Arubi with a thunderous shot from outside the box.

Broos made a change at the beginning of the second half with midfielder Bathusi Aubaas replacing Sithole, who was at risk of a yellow card that could have ruled him out of the next round.

South Africa retook the lead when Foster beat an advancing Arubi to a bouncing ball with a header for his second goal of the tournament, taking advantage of a miscued clearance towards his own goal by Lunga.

Zimbabwe came close to equalising in the 64th, when Mashwanhise’s shot hit the upright.

The Warriors equalised again fortuitously in the 73rd when Mashwanhise’s shot was saved by Williams but the rebound ricocheted off Modiba into his own net.

There was more drama in the 80th minute as Moroccan referee Mustapha Kechchaf consulted VAR and awarded Bafana a penalty for a handball by Zimbabwe captain Marvelous Nakamba. Appollis slotted past Arubi for the late winner.

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