By Elume Raymond
South Africa and Angola get their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations campaigns underway on Monday as they face off on matchday one in Group B, with both sides eager to make an early statement. The match will be played at the Marrakesh Stadium in Marrakesh, with kick-off scheduled for 17:00 local time (16:00 GMT).
Drawn alongside Egypt and Zimbabwe, both teams arrive at Morocco 2025 with different ambitions but equal urgency, knowing that a positive start could prove decisive in a tightly balanced group.
This will be the fifth meeting between South Africa and Angola at AFCON finals, and all of their previous encounters at the tournament have come during the group stage. Across those four matches, Bafana Bafana hold the edge with two wins, while the other two contests ended in draws. Notably, in each tournament where the sides were paired in the same group, only one progressed to the knockout stages South Africa in 1996, 1998 and 2013, and Angola in 2008.
Their AFCON rivalry began in Johannesburg in 1996, when South Africa claimed a narrow 1–0 victory courtesy of Mark Williams. Two years later, they played out a 0–0 draw in Bobo-Dioulasso at the 1998 tournament, before sharing a 1–1 draw in Tamale during the 2008 edition Manucho opening the scoring for Angola before Elrio van Heerden struck a late equalizer.
Their most recent AFCON meeting came in 2013, when hosts South Africa secured a 2–0 win in Durban. Goals from Siyabonga Sangweni and Lehlohonolo Majoro in the 30th and 62nd minutes sealed the result on matchday two.
Monday’s clash marks the third time the two nations have opened an AFCON finals against each other, having previously done so in 1998 and 2008. It is also their first AFCON meeting in North Africa. Two of their previous encounters came with South Africa as hosts, while the other two were staged in West Africa.
In total, this will be the 20th meeting between the sides across all competitions. South Africa have recorded nine wins, Angola four, with six draws completing the head-to-head record. However, recent form favors Angola. Their last encounter came in the COSAFA Cup final on 15 June 2025, where Angola claimed an emphatic 3–0 victory, extending their unbeaten run against South Africa to six matches (three wins, three draws).
South Africa’s last win over Angola dates back to November 2015, when they edged a 1–0 victory in a FIFA World Cup qualifying second-round match a reminder of just how long this particular hoodoo has lasted.
Match Preview
After finishing third at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, South Africa return with renewed belief that they can go even further this time. Bafana Bafana are chasing only their second AFCON title, having famously lifted the trophy on their tournament debut in 1996, and their recent trajectory suggests they belong among the genuine contenders.
South Africa arrive in Morocco off the back of an impressive, unbeaten qualifying campaign (four wins, two draws), one defined by defensive organisation and tactical discipline under head coach Hugo Broos. While solidity has been a hallmark of Broos’ reign, it was South Africa’s attacking output that truly stood out in qualification. They scored 16 goals in six matches, a tally bettered only by the tournament hosts. If that firepower can be combined with the defensive resilience that delivered five clean sheets at AFCON 2023 the most of any team Bafana Bafana will feel there are few limits to what they can achieve.
Monday’s match also carries personal significance for Broos, who will take charge of his 50th game as South Africa manager. It will be the nation’s 12th AFCON appearance, having first qualified in 1996 and missing only four editions since. Form has been encouraging: South Africa are unbeaten in their last nine matches across World Cup qualifiers and friendlies (six wins, three draws), a run that includes victories over Zambia and Rwanda, as well as draws against Nigeria and Zimbabwe in 2026 World Cup qualifying. Their podium finish in Ivory Coast last year only strengthened their credentials heading into this group stage.
Angola, like South Africa, navigated qualification without defeat, posting an identical record of four wins and two draws. Where the Palancas Negras differed was in how they achieved it. Under Patrice Beaumelle, Angola relied heavily on a well-drilled defensive unit, conceding just two goals in six matches, with only two teams boasting better defensive records in qualification.
Recent form, however, is less convincing. Angola arrive in North Africa having won just two of their last seven matches (two draws, three defeats), far from ideal momentum for a side that has historically struggled in AFCON openers, winning only one of nine opening group matches (six draws, two losses).
Still, there is cause for optimism. Angola reached the quarter-finals at AFCON 2023, eventually falling to Nigeria, and that run marked another step forward in their steady continental progression. Across their last ten matches in World Cup qualifiers, CAF competitions and friendlies, Angola have recorded four wins, three draws and three defeats, scoring 15 goals and conceding 13.
Angola’s AFCON story has been one of gradual advancement rather than headline success. Quarter-final appearances in 2008, 2010 and 2023 remain their best finishes but as recent tournaments have shown, consistency and organisation can carry teams deep into the competition.
Head-to-Head History
South Africa remain unbeaten against Angola at the AFCON (W2, D2) but have not won any of the last seven H2Hs since a 2015 World Cup qualifier (D4, L3).
South Africa form (all competitions):
W D D W W W
Zambia form (all competitions):
W D D L W W
Team News
Hugo Broos has confirmed that South Africa’s squad is largely injury-free ahead of their Group B opener, easing concerns that emerged during the pre-tournament build-up. The positive fitness news gives Broos both continuity and tactical flexibility as Bafana Bafana look to start strongly. South Africa are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1, a system that emphasizes structure, balance and positional discipline across the pitch.
Angola, meanwhile, have suffered a potential setback. Reports suggest midfielder Show has missed recent training sessions due to a bout of flu, and while no official injury withdrawal has been confirmed, his involvement in the starting XI may depend on how quickly he recovers. Despite that uncertainty, the Palancas Negras are expected to stick with a 4-4-2 shape, in keeping with Patrice Beaumelle’s preference for defensive solidity and direct, vertical transitions when possession is regained.
Possible starting line-ups
South Africa:
Williams; Mudau, Ndamane, Sibisi, Modiba; Mokoena, Sithole; Moremi, Mbule, Appollis; Foster
Angola:
Neblu; Modesto, Carmo, Buatu, Carneiro; Milson, Show, Maestro, Luvumbo; Nzola, Dala
Hot Stats and Streaks
- South Africa’s Oswin Appollis was directly involved in six goals during 2025 AFCON qualifying (2 goals, 4 assists) the second-highest tally of any player. By comparison, no player contributed to more goals at AFCON 2023 than Angola’s Gelson Dala (4 goals, 1 assist).
- South Africa have enjoyed positive tournament history in Morocco, finishing runners-up at the 1997 U20 AFCON and seeing their senior women lift the WAFCON title in 2022.
- This is Angola’s third AFCON finals hosted in North Africa, following appearances in Egypt in 2006 and 2019.
- South Africa have won just three of their 11 AFCON opening matches (1996, 2000, 2004).
- Angola have managed only one victory in nine AFCON opening games (D6, L2).
- South Africa have drawn four AFCON openers (1998, 2002, 2008, 2013) and lost four (2006, 2015, 2019, 2023).
- Angola are unbeaten in their last six AFCON opening matches.
- Bafana Bafana have failed to win their opening game in each of their last six AFCON appearances (D2, L4).
- Angola’s only opening-match victory came against Burkina Faso in 2012 (2–1).
- South Africa have won just two of their last nine AFCON group-stage matches, both against Namibia (2019 and 2023).
- Angola were eliminated in the group stage at three consecutive AFCON tournaments (2012, 2013, 2019) before their improved showing at the last edition.
- Hugo Broos has yet to win an opening AFCON match as a head coach.
- Angola coach Patrice Beaumelle previously led Côte d’Ivoire at the 2021 AFCON.