Bafana Bafana’s Africa Cup of Nations journey ended in the Round of 16
with a 2-1 loss to Cameroon, but the statistics from their 2025 campaign
reveal a tournament of notable strides and significant setbacks.
South Africa showcased historic group-stage form, defeating Angola 2-1 and
Zimbabwe 3-2, with a narrow 1-0 defeat to Egypt sandwiched in between. This
marked only the third time in their history—and the first since 2000—that
Bafana won two group-stage matches at an AFCON finals. Their victory over
Zimbabwe was particularly significant, breaking a streak of seven
tournaments without a win in their final group game.
However, the defensive solidity that underpinned their 2023 semi-final run
was absent. Bafana conceded in all four matches, letting in six goals—their
worst defensive return at an AFCON since 1998. It was also the first time
goalkeeper Ronwen Williams conceded in every match of a tournament campaign.
In attack, there were clear positives. South Africa scored in four
consecutive AFCON matches for the first time since 2019. Lyle Foster was a
standout with four goal contributions (two goals, two assists), while Oswin
Appollis also found the net twice.
The team’s progressive, possession-based intent under Hugo Broos was
evident. They attempted 1,482 passes, the fourth-highest tally in the
tournament, with an 86% accuracy rate, and dominated possession against
Zimbabwe with 67% of the ball. Aubrey Modiba shone creatively, creating five
chances in that match—the most by a South African player at an AFCON since
2008.
Broos used a tight squad of just 19 players, with six featuring in every
minute of the group stage, indicating a clear core.
While the premature exit was disappointing, the statistical landscape
suggests Bafana Bafana are building a promising foundation. The key
challenge moving forward, especially with the FIFA World Cup in June, will
be translating possession and attacking promise into knockout-stage
resilience and defensive stability.
