Leonard Solms
CloseJack of all sporting trades. Author of my 11-year-old self’s fantasy story about his road to FIFA World Cup glory. Perfecting the art of writing about people who do what I said I was going to do.Dec 29, 2025, 02:04 AM ET
Heading into South Africa‘s final Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) group fixture against Zimbabwe in Marrakesh on Monday, Hugo Broos’ men need a draw to secure their progression to the knockout rounds.
A top-two finish – or at least ending up as one of the four best third-placed teams across six groups – is needed to secure progression to the last 16.
Egypt already sealed top spot in group B and booked a place in the knockout rounds with a 1-0 win over Bafana Bafana in Agadir on Friday, courtesy of a contentiously awarded penalty, scored by Mohamed Salah.
That put them on six points, leaving Bafana second on three. Angola and Zimbabwe each have a single point from the 1-1 draw they played out on Friday in Marrakesh.
South Africa can finish level with Egypt on six points if they beat Zimbabwe and the Pharaohs are stunned by Angola. However, Egypt’s superior head-to-head record would see them finish above South Africa in this case, as this is the primary tiebreaker rather than goal difference.
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Bafana Bafana will be leapfrogged by Zimbabwe and can be leapfrogged by Angola if they lose to the Warriors on Monday. However, if they draw, they will be assured of second place even if Angola beat Egypt.
This is by virtue of Bafana’s own 2-1 win over Patrice Beaumelle’s charges in their opening fixture, which will come in handy if South Africa and Angola finish level on four points.
Goal difference hangs in the balance at the moment, as three of the four Group B fixtures which have been played so far were decided by a single goal, while the other was a draw. However, that will only come to play as a tiebreaker between teams who cannot be separated on head-to-head records (such as Angola and Zimbabwe).
South Africa beat Angola 2-1 before Egypt triumphed against Zimbabwe by the same scoreline. After Zimbabwe’s 1-1 draw with Angola, the Pharaohs beat Bafana Bafana 1-0.
Essentially, the equation is simple for Bafana Bafana: if they draw, they will be through to the knockout rounds in second place. If they lose, their fate will be taken out of their hands.
Will Bafana coach Hugo Broos stick with the team that battle Egypt when they take on Zimbabwe at AFCON? Franck FIFE / AFP via Getty ImagesKey details:
Date: Monday, Dec. 29 at 18:00 CAT (17:00 Moroccan time, 16:00 GMT)
Venue: Stade de Marrakesh
How to watch: The match is available to watch on SuperSport and SABC 2 in South Africa. For UK viewers, Channel 4 has the Africa Cup of Nations broadcasting rights.
Team news:
Heading into this tournament, Bafana Bafana would have likely been expecting to come up against Wolves’ Marshall Munetsi – a player known to many of them from his time in South Africa with FC Cape Town, Baroka FC and most notably Orlando Pirates.
However, the versatile midfielder did not make Marian Marinică’s final squad. Zimbabwe’s football federation, ZIFA, cited concerns over injury – but Munetsi insisted he would have been fit enough to play in the tournament.
Bafana’s main injury-enforced absence is that of Themba Zwane, whose persistent woes in that department at Mamelodi Sundowns meant he was leapfrogged in Broos’ pecking order.
Expected lineups:
Zimbabwe
LWB Divine Lunga | CB Teenage Hadebe | CB Marvelous Nakamba | CB Gerald Takwara | RWB Emmanuel Jalai
CM Knowledge Musona | CM Jonah Fabisch
LW Prince Dube | ST Macauley Bonne | RW Tawanda Chirewa
South Africa
LB Aubrey Modiba | CB Mbekezeli Mbokazi | CB Siyabonga Ngezana | RB Khuliso Mudau
CM Sphephelo ‘Yaya’ Sithole | CM Teboho Mokoena
LW Oswin Appollis | AM Sipho Mbule | RW Relebohile Mofokeng
ST Lyle Foster
Stats:
As per Flashscore, Mbekezeli Mbokazi won all eight of his ground duels against Egypt in Bafana Bafana’s 1-0 defeat.
South Africa have won three and drawn two of their last five fixtures against Zimbabwe. Their last defeat against the Warriors was in 2013.
The teams have met twice this year – once in the COSAFA Cup (a tournament in which competing teams usually field second-string sides), which South Africa won – and the other in a FIFA World Cup qualifier which ended in a 0-0 draw.