Bafana through to AFCON last 16 as questions linger after narrow win

BAFANA Bafana have secured their place in the knockout stages of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, but their narrow 3-2 win over Zimbabwe has done little to quiet concerns about what lies ahead.

Goals from Lyle Foster, Tshepang Moremi and Oswin Appollis sealed the result in South Africa’s final Group B match, enough to finish second in the pool and book a round-of-16 berth against the runners-up from Group F.

Progression, however, has come with warnings.

South Africa will return to action on 4 January, carrying both the momentum of qualification and the knowledge that performances in the group stage have been uneven. With the prospect of facing West African heavyweights, the challenge now is whether Hugo Broos’ side can find another level.

They have already acknowledged that their group-stage form has fallen short of expectations. If they are to build on their bronze-medal finish at the previous AFCON and live up to their “dark horse” tag, improvement is not optional.

There were moments against Zimbabwe that reinforced lingering doubts. Defensive organisation, particularly in the centre, appeared vulnerable, and those inefficiencies could be exposed by stronger opposition. Aubrey Modiba’s own goal was emblematic of those frailties, with South Africa repeatedly caught out of position and eventually punished.

At the other end of the pitch, attacking rhythm was inconsistent. Penetration proved difficult, especially in the first half, when Sipho Mbule was not “cooking” as expected, and Bafana struggled to impose themselves.

Those are areas Broos and his technical team will need to address quickly. While supporters have voiced frustration at the lack of control, it is also true that the quality of opposition shapes how games unfold. Still, at this stage of the tournament, finding solutions becomes essential.

The round-of-16 match will be played in Rabat, with Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Gabon and Mozambique all still in contention to finish second in Group F. That group concludes on Wednesday night, after which South Africa will learn their next opponents.

This is the second successive AFCON in which Bafana have reached the last 16. At the previous edition, Broos’ men went on to finish third — their best continental showing since 2000. Matching or surpassing that achievement will demand far more than survival alone.

Elsewhere in Group B, Egypt finished top after a goalless draw with Angola. Bafana now turn their focus to Sunday’s knockout fixture, with the benefit of an extra day’s rest over their next opponents.