Bafana Aim To End Two Decades Of AFCON Opening Match Misery
Bafana Bafana will begin their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations campaign against Angola in Marrakech on Monday under mounting pressure, as they look to win their opening group-stage match for the first time in 21 years.
The 1996 AFCON champions have not won their first match at the biennial tournament since the 2004 edition, when they beat Benin 2–0.
That tournament, held in Tunisia, saw striker Siyabonga Nomvethe score a brace, finding the net in the 58th and 76th minutes. The former Kaizer Chiefs forward was in prolific form at the time, tormenting defenders with his movement and finishing.
However, despite that positive start, Bafana Bafana, coached by the late Styles Phumo, were later thrashed 4–0 by Nigeria and drew 1–1 with Morocco, who went on to lose the final to hosts Tunisia. South Africa finished third in Group D, marking the beginning of a prolonged struggle at AFCON tournaments.
The decline continued at the 2006 AFCON in Egypt under the late Ted Dumitru. Bafana lost their opening match 2–0 to Guinea, followed by another 2–0 defeat to Tunisia. Zambia then completed their misery with a win, courtesy of a goal by a familiar foe, Christopher Katongo.
Despite boasting a squad that included Sibusiso Zuma (captain at the time), Nomvethe, Benni McCarthy, Ricardo Katza, Daniel Tshabalala, Pierre Issa, Mbulelo Mabizela, Jimmy Tau, Benedict Vilakazi, Siphiwe Tshabalala, and Siyabonga Nkosi, Bafana returned home without scoring a single goal—an embarrassment that still lingers in South African football history.
Things did not improve at the 2008 AFCON in Ghana under 1994 World Cup winner Carlos Alberto Parreira. Bafana drew their opening match against Angola, lost to Tunisia and drew with Senegal, collecting just two points and again finishing bottom of Group D.
Matters worsened as South Africa failed to qualify for the next two AFCON editions in 2010 and 2012. In 2013, they stepped in as hosts after Libya was stripped of hosting rights. Even on home soil, Bafana opened with a goalless draw against Cape Verde at FNB Stadium. Unlike previous campaigns, however, they progressed to the knockout stages, finishing top of Group A, before being eliminated by Mali on penalties in the quarter-finals at Moses Mabhida Stadium.
Poor performances resurfaced at the 2015 AFCON under coach Shakes Mashaba, beginning with a 3–1 loss to Algeria in the opening match. South Africa then failed to qualify for the 2017 edition; ironically, failing to beat Hugo Broos’ Cameroon in the qualifiers, who then led the Indomitable Lions to the title.
This was despite Hlompho Kekana scoring a stunning long-range goal in a 2–2 draw with Cameroon in Limbe during qualification.
At the 2019 AFCON in Egypt, Bafana again stumbled in their opener, losing to Ivory Coast after Jonathan Kodjia’s strike slipped past goalkeeper Ronwen Williams. They failed to qualify for the 2022 tournament, and when they returned in 2024 in Ivory Coast, they once more opened with a defeat, losing 2–0 to Eric Chelle’s Mali.
Despite that setback, Bafana went on an impressive run, reaching the semi-finals and returning home with a bronze medal after defeating DR Congo on penalties—their first AFCON podium finish in 24 years.
Now, with Angola standing in their way in Marrakech on Monday, Bafana Bafana will be determined to end 21 years of opening-match frustration and finally start an AFCON campaign on a winning note. Adding extra motivation, the match will mark Hugo Broos’ 50th game in charge of the national team.
