Bafana Bafana vs Angola: AFCON Opener Last Time Out

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Bafana Bafana vs Angola: AFCON Opener Last Time Out
AFCON South Africa vs Angola 23-01-13 Durban SA Durban South Africa 23rd January 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Angola vs South Africa Anthony Rantie on the ball for South Africa PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxONLY South Africa vs Angola 23 01 13 Durban SA Durban South Africa 23rd January 2013 Africa Cup of Nations Angola vs South Africa Anthony ON The Ball for South Africa PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxONLY

South Africa will begin their Africa Cup of Nations campaign against Angola for the third time in history, continuing a familiar pattern of opening clashes between the two nations.

The Group B encounter takes place in Marrakech on Monday, the second day of the 2025 edition in Morocco.

The fixture recalls two previous occasions when Bafana Bafana and the Palancas Negras met in their first match at the finals.

In 1998, at the tournament in Burkina Faso, the sides played out a goalless draw in Bobo Dioulasso.

That game is remembered for coach Jomo Sono’s quick thinking, as he substituted Benni McCarthy on a stretcher before the referee could issue a second yellow card. The move spared McCarthy a suspension, and he went on to finish as joint top scorer, helping South Africa reach the final despite the poor start.

Ten years later, in Ghana in 2008, the teams met again in Tamale. Angola looked set for victory after Manucho, who would later sign for Manchester United, gave them the lead in the 30th minute.

Carlos Alberto Parreira’s side rescued a point when Elrio van Heerden equalised two minutes from time, but South Africa finished bottom of the group with two points and exited early.

Opening matches have not been kind to Bafana Bafana in recent years. At their last three Cup of Nations appearances, they have lost their first group game. In 2015, Algeria came from behind to beat them 3-1 in Mongomo, Equatorial Guinea, after Thabo Phala had briefly put South Africa ahead.

In 2017, Jonathan Kodjia of Aston Villa scored the only goal in Cairo as Ivory Coast edged a lacklustre Bafana side. Most recently, in 2023, Mali struck twice in six minutes in Korhogo to condemn South Africa to another opening defeat.

Despite that setback in 2023, Bafana rallied to claim the bronze medal – their best finish since 2000 – though fortune played its part along the way. As they prepare to face Angola once more in an AFCON opener, South Africa will be hoping to break the cycle of slow starts and set the tone for a stronger campaign in Morocco.

<!-- Author Start -->Willis Sob<!-- Author End -->

Willis Sob

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Willis Sob is an experienced journalist who has been in the game since 2009, covering major assignments around the continent.
His hunger for African football is unmatched, always getting the best angles and facts to feed the fans and quench their thirst.

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