Bafana Off to Winning AFCON Start

Bafana Bafana began their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations campaign on a winning note with a hard-fought 2–1 victory over Angola at the Grand Stade de Marrakech on Monday night.

Oswin Appollis gave South Africa the perfect start, breaking the deadlock in the 21st minute with a superb finish that left Angola goalkeeper Hugo Marques with no chance. Angola hit back before the break when Show Cafumana found the equaliser in the 35th minute to send the sides into halftime level.

The match remained finely balanced until the closing stages, when Man of the Match Lyle Foster delivered the decisive moment. The striker showed great composure in the 79th minute, beating Marques to restore Bafana’s lead and seal all three points for the senior men’s national team.

Head coach Hugo Broos pointed to his halftime adjustments, particularly the introduction of Tshepang Moremi, as a turning point in the contest. Moremi injected pace and directness down the flank, troubling the Angolan defence throughout the second half. He thought he had capped his impact with a goal in the 51st minute, but the effort was ruled out for offside following a VAR review.

“We got some things right during halftime, and I think Momeri also gave us good service. He played very well, was quick and was a threat for the Angola defense. This changed a lot of things,” Broos said via SAFA.net. 

“We were also more aggressive. We put more pressure on the opponent. We had some chances and even got a goal from Moremi. But okay, it was offside.”

Bafana Bafana will now turn their attention to a blockbuster Group B clash against Egypt on Friday, while Angola look to bounce back when they face Zimbabwe in the group’s other fixture.