Bafana Bafana Prepare for Crucial AFCON Match Against Zimbabwe

Johannesburg: 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 Monday afternoon (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. According to South African Football Association, 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,' the Belgian mentor said. '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.' 'We know that a victory will also be good motivation going into the next round. So, for us, we are really looking forward to playing the game and hopefully getting a result,' said defender Nkosinathi Sibisi. 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.