Bafana Keep COSAFA Cup Hopes Alive As They Beat Zimbabwe

Bafana Bafana’s COSAFA team kept their hopes of winning the COSAFA Cup 2025 alive with a convincing 2-0 victory over Zimbabwe at Toyota Stadium on Saturday.

Goals from Kabelo Dlamini and Ime Okon in either half secured the win for the South Africans, who dominated the match with their impressive display.

The game started on a high note, with Bafana creating numerous scoring opportunities in the first 10 minutes. Boitumelo Radiopane had a notable chance, but his shot went wide.

Masindi Nemtajela also had two chances, but his attempts went over the bar.

Despite the missed opportunities, Bafana continued to press, and in the 36th minute, they were awarded a penalty after Zimbabwean defender Allan Chapinduka fouled Nemtajela in the box.

Dlamini scored the penalty with a well-taken shot, giving Bafana a 1-0 lead at halftime.

In the second half, Bafana came out strong, creating several chances but failing to capitalize on them.

However, their persistence paid off in the 77th minute when Okon scored a brilliant header from a Gape Moralo’s cross, making it 2-0.

The second goal gave Bafana more confidence, and they dominated the game with their precise passing and movement.

The win was a great response for Bafana Bafana after losing their first game against Mozambique during the week.

With this victory, they now sit in second place in Group A with three points, one point behind log leaders Mozambique, who played a 0-0 draw against Mauritius earlier today.

Bafana still have a chance to advance to the semifinal of the competition, and a victory against Mauritius on Tuesday would send them to the next stage if Mozambique loses or plays a draw against Zimbabwe on Tuesday as well.

The win has given Bafana Bafana fans reason to be optimistic about their team’s chances in the tournament for the first time since 2021. Coach Vela Khumalo’s side will look to build on this momentum in their next match.

The top two in each group will advance to the semifinal, and Bafana Bafana have given themselves a chance to make it to the next stage.