Bafana Bafana could not have asked for a better spark ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. With the tournament just weeks away, Hugo Broos’ side swept past Zambia 3-1 in front of a lively crowd at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, reminding supporters that South Africa intends to arrive in Morocco with more than just hope.
This was supposed to be a friendly, but nothing about Bafana’s performance felt casual. Instead, the team played like a group desperate to sharpen their edges before facing Africa’s toughest sides.
A Sharp, Hungry South African Side
From the first whistle, South Africa carried themselves with purpose. While the early stages were evenly matched, the home side grew into the game with confidence. Teboho Mokoena nearly opened the scoring with one of his trademark long range rockets, drawing early gasps from the Gqeberha crowd.
Zambia relied heavily on the pace of Fashion Sakala, but Khuliso Mudau refused to give him space. Each time Sakala tried to stretch the defence, Mudau matched him stride for stride, earning praise from fans online who joked that the defender had “Sakala on lockdown”.
Mbule Pulls The Strings
The game changed in the 31st minute when Sipho Mbule forced the Zambia goalkeeper into a reflex save from distance. That moment seemed to switch Bafana into another gear. Wave after wave of attack followed, with Lyle Foster narrowly missing out on giving South Africa the lead.
Just before the break, Mbule produced a moment of pure quality. His perfectly weighted pass sliced through the Zambian backline, allowing Oswin Appollis to finish smoothly and send Bafana into half time with a deserving lead.
On social media, supporters celebrated the return of Mbule’s creativity, with one fan posting, “When Mbule cooks, the whole team eats”.
Second Half Surge Seals The Deal
Zambia came out firing, but Mudau again smothered Sakala before any damage could be done. From there, South Africa took control and never let go.
Substitute Mohau Nkota made an instant impact, curling a stunning strike into the top corner to double the lead. Moments later, Sphephelo Sithole powered home a header to make it 3 0, sending the stadium into full celebration mode.
Zambia pulled one back through Sabobo Banda in stoppage time, but by then the result was long settled.
What This Means For AFCON
South Africa’s win is more than just a friendly result. It signals depth, chemistry and real competition for places, especially with AFCON kicking off in Morocco on 21 December.
For many supporters, this performance rekindled belief. After years of inconsistency, Bafana now look focused, confident and capable of causing real problems for the continent’s elite. Online reactions echoed the same sentiment: “If they play like this in Morocco, anything is possible.”
As the countdown to AFCON continues, this result serves as a loud, clear message. Bafana Bafana are not travelling to Morocco to participate. They are going there to compete.
Source: SABC Sport
Featured Image Source: Soccer Laduma on X
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