What Bafana are up against at Afcon

Bafana Bafana on Monday night were drawn in a negotiable group with powerhouses Egypt and regional rivals Angola and Zimbabwe for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Morocco later this year. 

On paper at least, record seven-times champions Egypt will probably be the favourites of many pundits to top group B, but Bafana, the Palancas Negras of Angola and the Warriors of Zimbabwe will have a lot to say about that. 

We look at what lies ahead for SA at the tournament, which kicks off in December. 

Egypt 

The Pharaohs went through the qualification programme unbeaten (four wins and two draws) to top a group C that included less-fancied Botswana, Mauritania and Cape Verde with 14 points. 

As has been the case over the past few years, Egypt will rely on world-class star player Mohamed Salah of Liverpool, arguably one of the world’s best goal scorers, which says something given he mostly plays on the wing. Other key performers include legendary goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy, centreback Mohamed Rabia, forward Mahmoud Trezeguet, wing Mostafa Fathi and striker Omar Marmoush. 

It will mark Egypt’s 27th appearance at the finals and coach Hossam Hassan has been involved in three of their titles. 

Angola 

The country also had an impressive qualification programme winning four matches and drawing two to finish top of a group F, including unpredictable Sudan, Niger and powerhouses Ghana, who failed to qualify. 

Though Mabululu, the dreadlocked striker who turns out for

Al-Ahli Tripoli in Libya, has been their star man providing crucial goals up front, Palancas Negras have largely performed well as a team with Gilberto, Milson, Zini and Domingos Andrade contributing strongly. 

One of the impressive aspects about them is they scored seven goals in the qualification programme and conceded only twice, which will be a factor at Afcon. 

Zimbabwe 

The Warriors of Zimbabwe finished second behind group J winners Cameroon in the qualifiers, where they won two and drew three matches and lost only once to finish ahead of Kenya and Namibia. 

Zimbabwe will not be a closed book for SA as they have players such as Washington Arubi, Teenage Hadebe, Marshall Munetsi, Walter Musona, Khama Billiat, Divine Lunga and Terrence Dzvukamanja who have played in the Premier Soccer League. 

They also have key players such as Marvelous Nakamba, Munashe Garananga and Gerald Takwara who were instrumental for them in the qualifiers.