Bafana Bafana Edge Zimbabwe in Five-Goal Thriller to Reach Round of 16
South Africa secured their passage to the AFCON 2025 knockout stages in dramatic fashion on Monday evening, defeating regional rivals Zimbabwe 3-2 in a pulsating “COSAFA Derby” at the Grand Stade de Marrakech.
The victory ensures Hugo Broos’ men finish as runners-up in Group B with six points, setting up a Round of 16 clash in Rabat against the second-placed team from Group F.
A Flying Start and a Warriors Response
South Africa wasted no time asserting their dominance, taking the lead in just the 7th minute. Tshepang Moremi found space on the right and unleashed a shot-cross that took a heavy deflection off Divine Lunga, looping over the stranded Washington Arubi to make it 1-0.
Zimbabwe, needing a win to keep their historic knockout hopes alive, refused to buckle. In the 19th minute, Tawanda Maswanhise produced a moment of individual brilliance, weaving through two South African defenders before firing a low, precise strike past Ronwen Williams to level the score.
See-Saw Battle in the Second Half
The second half began with the same high intensity that defined the first. Just five minutes after the restart, Bafana Bafana reclaimed the lead.
A miscommunication in the Zimbabwean defense saw Lyle Foster pounce on a short back-header, bravely beating the goalkeeper to the ball to nod home into an empty net.
Zimbabwe continued to threaten, even hitting the post through Maswanhise, before a freak goal brought them level again in the 73rd minute. A cross from Tawanda Chirewa was deflected by Williams onto his own defender, Aubrey Modiba, with the ball ricocheting into the net for a bizarre own goal.
VAR Drama and the Decisive Blow
The match reached its boiling point in the 80th minute when a Teboho Mokoena shot appeared to strike the arm of Zimbabwe captain Marvelous Nakamba. Following a lengthy VAR review, the referee pointed to the penalty spot.
Oswin Appollis stepped up under immense pressure, remaining cool to slot the ball into the bottom corner in the 82nd minute, sending the South African bench into raptures. Despite nine minutes of stoppage time and a frantic aerial assault from Zimbabwe, Bafana Bafana held firm to secure the three points.
“It was a game of nerves,” South Africa coach Hugo Broos admitted post-match. “We showed great character to come back twice and win. This victory belongs to the players’ resilience.”
What’s Next for Bafana Bafana?
South Africa will now travel to Rabat for their Round of 16 fixture on Sunday, January 4. They are scheduled to face the runner-up of Group F, which could potentially be Ivory Coast, Cameroon, or Mozambique depending on final results.
