AFCON 2025: Gabon coach explains Bafana Bafana’s big advantage over Cameroon

Gabon coach Thierry Mouyouma believes Bafana Bafana have an edge over Cameroon in their Round of 16 clash at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

South Africa will take on the Indomitable Lions in the knockout round on Monday, January 6 and need to overcome the five-time African champions to make it to the quarter-final, where a meeting with either Morocco or Tanzania awaits.

That is a tough match for South Africa after Cameroon won two and drew the other of their three group stage games and have a star-studded squad that is tipped to be one of the favourites to win the tournament.

Gabon coach lauds Bafana Bafana

However, Mouyouma believes South Africa have an advantage given their team has been together for a long time and play in the same league while coach Hugo Broos has been around for over four years, compared to his opposite number David Pagou, who was appointed just before the tournament started.

“It will be an opposite side of playing football. Bafana Bafana has an advantage; they know each other the coach has been here two or three years. The Cameroon coach has just arrived,” Mouyouma told SoccerBeat.

“But Cameroon’s high mentality can be an advantage because when they come to the national team and the AFCON, they can raise the bar and [they] can be good. So Bafana Bafana need to be careful of that attitude of Cameroon.

Why do South Africa have the edge?

“When we come to the way of talking, I think Bafana Bafana has an advantage. Last AFCON, they reached the semi-final, most players are playing in South Africa so they know each other and Cameroon the coach just arrived a couple of weeks ago so he has not had the time to show tactically what he is supposed to do for a team like that.

“It will be high spirit against tactical spirit,” added the tactician, who has since been sacked following his team’s group stage elimination from AFCON after a winless group stage campaign.

South Africa have faced Cameroon nine times, winning three, drawing five and losing once.