Picture: Bafana Bafana coach, Hugo Broos
By OBAKENG MAJE
29 December 2025- Bafana Bafana are bracing for a tough match when they face Zimbabwe in a crunch final Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Group B encounter on 29 December 2025. The COSAFA neighbours will face off in a match that will most likely determine who finishes runners-up in the group and also confirm passage to the Last 16 stage of this continental competition.
While the two teams have faced each other several times over the years, this will be the first time that they meet in an AFCON tournament. South African senior men’s national team coach Hugo Broos said they expect a tough match against a team they have played against several times during the four years he has been at the helm.
“It’s not the first time we play against Zimbabwe and in the four years I have been a coach in South Africa, Zimbabwe have been in our group in the qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup. So, we know them very well.
“They know us very well too and they would like to win against us. We felt that already in the previous matches. So again, it will be tough tomorrow, and we have to achieve our best level to get a good result,” said Broos.
Nkosinathi Sibisi further said they know that a victory will also be good motivation going into the next round. Sibisi added that, for them, they are really looking forward to playing the game and hopefully getting a result.
Bafana Bafana beat Angola 2-1 in Marrakech in their opening match of the tournament a week ago and then suffered a 0-1 defeat to Egypt in Agadir in a dramatic second outing that has been the subject of furious debates around the world since Friday.
The Guardian 