BLOW BY BLOW | Bafana tough out perfect opening result with Angola win

FULL TIME - Bafana Bafana 2 Angola 1

Foster’s 79th-minute goal seals it. Things to work on for Broos’ team. But that’s an excellent result and the way SA earned it against super-tough opponents with quality in their line-up sets up an Afcon of much hope for this Hugo Broos-revived Bafana.

90min+6 - Full time!!! That’s it, that’s IT!!!! This is a huge win for Bafana! A huge win. This was an extremely tough opener against quality opponents in a pitched battle, and they pulled out the win. Huge result!

90min+5 - ... which results in the side-netting, goal kick.

90min+4 - Corner Angola.

90min+2 - How are Angola making subs now!? Merci Mssr Beaumelle!

90min - Counter ends with another run by Moremi. The Pirates man was the second-half answer to how Broos would find forward momentum.

Five Min Added!

89min - Sub Bathusi Aubaas’ stray pass ends with Angola header just wide. SA can’t be doing that. Then a desperate clearance from the corner.

85min - That goal felt like it was coming, but the way it came! And in this kind of trench warfare battle!

Seems to show a BMT team, with a goal from a BMT player.

But Bafana still have to hang on!

79min - GOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!

Foster with a long-range beauty!!!!! Moremi tees the Burnley man up on the edge of the D and he unleashes a screamer!

SA have had control of this half, and now they seem to have a measure of control of what could be a huge (!!) result. But Angola will do everything to come back again.

Crazy last 10 min left!!!!

Bafana 2 Angola 1

76min - Dizzying, pacey run down the left by Appollis ends with him teeing up Foster on the edge of the box, who lifts his strike over.

75min - 15min of normal time for either team to find a winner in this super-competitive clash.

71min - Some more calmness on the ball from the South Africans in this second half, as they find some possession and probe forward more. But it’s tough out there.

62min - Bafana have a good penalty appeal turned down by referee Ismail as Khuliso Mudau is clattered down in the box by To Carneiro.

58min - Thunderous strike from Mbokazi crashes off the crossbar!!

51min - Goal, then not a goal! VAR overrules Moremi strike

Tshepang Moremi, off the bench, collects, turns his defender, advances just into the box and strikes beautifully past Marques. However, the VAR overrules the strike - Foster was offside.

It had been far more positive from Bafana back from the change rooms, with advances into the box and shots at goal by the old SuperSport-Sundowns duo of Mbule and Mokoena.

(Moremi replaced Nkota at the break).

Bafana 1 Angola 1

45min - We’re back - the second half is under way.

HALF TIME - Bafana Bafana 1 Angola 1

It’s been two teams getting stuck in out there, but one team just a bit more. Angola have also managed to get the ball rolling more, get forward momentum, get in some hard running and get behind the Bafana defence.

The scores are level but Palanca Negras edged that opening 50-odd-minutes.

Bafana coach Hugo Broos has to find an answer in this no-holds-barred, classically tough Southern African derby.

Bafana are being closed down with pace and aggression and cannot get their foot on the ball. The South Africans are having to concede too many fouls, thus having to defend too many set pieces. Not surprising from a Palancas coached by Patrice Beaumelle, the 47-year-old Frenchman who was assistant to compatriot Hervé Renard when they won the Afcon with Zambia (2012) and Ivory Coast (2015).

What will Broos do tactically and what answers can he find from the bench?

The Masterchef needs to get into the game.

45min+6 - That’s the break.

45min+4 - The challenges flying in, as Sithole is booked. (Modiba had picked up a yellow in the 41st). Tough outing this, but also some signs of frustration by Bafana.

44min - The South Africans ending on the back foot and defending set pieces. They will need answers to how to find forward momentum in the second half.

There are 5min of added time ...

39 min - Shots on target, 4 to Angola and 1 to Bafana ... tells a bit of a story.

35min - GOOOOaaaaaLLLLLLLL!!!

Bit of a fortunate one from a set piece from the left touchline for Angola as 23-Show gets in ahead of marker Foster at the near post with an outstretched foot to get the volleyed touch past Wiliams.

Bafana 1 Angola 1

28min - Big chance for Angola as Dala’s point-blank header is too close to Williams, whose reflexes come to Bafana’s aid in a major way.

21min - GOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!

Appollis sweeps in the opener for Bafana!! This is a great start for Hugo Broos’ team in this huge Afcon Group B clash!

Bafana 1 Angola 0

15min - The first genuine chance goes to Angola as Palancas captain Fredy connects a volley well from the edge of the box to have Wiliams stretched.

11min - Speculative ball up finds Foster lurking in the box to direct a looping header that is placed awkwardly enough to trouble keeper Hugo Marques and force a diving hold.

10min - The opening 10min a bit testy as both sides size each other up without overly committing.

5min - Foster has one blocked at the other end.

3min - Mildly nervy start - 10-Gelson Dala gets a tame header on goal, easily dealt with by Williams.

7.03pm - 1st min - That’s the kickoff ...

7.01pm - The Anthems have gone, pendants swapped, seems Ronwen won the coin toss for Bafana.

Seems kickoff is running a few minutes late.

6.50pm - Shew, 10min to kickoff ...

6.30pm - Angola are really strong on paper - this is why many are nervous about this Afcon opener for Bafana. Take a look at the players’ clubs!:

Angola starting XI: Hugo Marques (Petro de Luanda), Clinton Mata (Lyon, France, Ligue 1), Kialonda Gaspar (Lecce, Italy, Serie A), Jonathan Buatu (Gil Vicente, Portugal, Primeria Liga), Zito Luvumbo (Cagliari, Italy, Serie A), Fredy (Bodrum, Turkey), Show (FC Dallas, US, MLS), Maestro (Alanyaspor, Turkey), To Carneiro (AS FAR, Morocco), GelsonDala (Al-Wakrah, Qatar), M’BalaNzola (Pisa, Italy, Serie A)

Substitutes: Neblu, Nurio Fortuna, David Carmo, Milson, Ary Papel, Signori Antonio, Manuel Benson, Beni, Randy Nteka, Mabululu, Manuel Keliano, Mario Balburdia, Rui Modesto, Chico Banza, Pedro Bondo

6.10pm - The starting line-ups are out ... here is Bafana - can’t say there is a single surprise there:

Bafana Bafana starting XI: Ronwen Williams, Khuliso Mudau, Siyabonga Ngezana, Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Aubrey Modiba, Mohau Nkota, Teboho Mokoena, Sphephelo Sithole, Oswin Appollis, Sipho Mbule, Lyle Foster

Substitutes: Ricardo Goss, Tylon Smith, Khulumani Ndamane, Thalente Mbatha, Tshepang Moremi, Relebohile Mofokeng, Elias Mokwana, Bathusi Aubaas, Sipho Chaine, Samukelo Kabini, Nkosinathi Sibisi, Evidence Makgopa, Shandre Campbell, Thabang Matuludi

4.27pm - Here is some more of Mahlatse Mphahlele’s coverage from Morocco so far:

• Bafana captain Williams challenges troops to show up at Afcon and go all the way
• WATCH | Bafana Bafana wrap up preparations for Afcon opener against Angola
• Angola coach Beaumelle not concerned with statistics ahead of Afcon opener against Bafana
• Broos dismisses suggestions that Bafana are among favourites for Afcon ahead of Angola clash
• Bafana coach Broos to reach milestone of 50 matches in Afcon opener against Angola
• ‘Anything is possible,’ says Comoros coach Stefano Cusin ahead of Afcon opener with Morocco
• Caf president Motsepe announces landmark resolutions to restructure African football
• Africa Cup of Nations moved to every four years
• Bafana team management says Afcon bonus issue ‘sorted out’
• Several factors in Bafana Bafana’s favour as Afcon kickoff looms

4.25pm - By the way, Mahlatse Mphahlele will be providing his Daily Afcon Talking Point in video form- be sure to catch those on TimesLIVE and our other Digital titles.

Here is his first one, and it’s definitely worth watching in the context of this big, big game:

Mahlatse’s daily Afcon talking point: who will make Bafana’s starting XI?

4.10pm - This is a huge game, guys. The butterflies in my stomach are in something of a flurry, flapping around rather frenetically and creating that funny, uneasy feeling. Imagine the feeling in the last few days, today, in the hotel at breakfast, through the day, the bus trip, arrival, entering the change-rooms, pulling on the jersey, the warm-ups ... there have to have been a few jitters mixed in with the excitement.

For Bafana Bafana, this is a huge game. For Angola, the same.

This is the first Bafana to go to an Afcon with any sort of hope of challenging for the trophy in a good 23 years - probably since Carlos Queiroz’s strong combination that exited with a quarterfinal defeat against hosts Mali in 2002. After that it was all embarrassing group stage bomb-outs and humiliating failures to qualify.

Hugo Broos’ revival - which came on the back of some developments in attitude to youth players at PSL clubs, a DStv Diski Challenge for youngsters to be platformed in and talent emerging - culminated in best placing of third at the last Afcon in Ivory Coast early last year.

With more talent coming in and Bafana going unbeaten in competitive matches since, there are high hopes South Africa can go even better in Morocco.

Those hopes will take a fairly major - but not unrecoverable - blow if SA lose to an a tough, underrated Angola with a squad that contains many players turning out in strong clubs and leagues in Europe.

It would mean Bafana have to bounce back against group heavyweights Egypt in Agadir on Friday.

Group B is tougher than it appears on paper because SA’s last opponents, Zimbabwe, are also trickier opponents than their ranking and Afcon record would indicate - they always give ‘big brother’ Bafana a tough outing.

And more rides on tonight’s game because if SA end in second place in Group B, they are almost certain to meet the hosts, who saw off Comoros comfortably enough in Sunday’s 2025 Afcon opener (2-0) and are headed for top place in Group A, in the last 16.

The Atlas Lions have a woeful Nations Cup record - they won once, in 1976 - but on home soil, desperate to impress their country’s ambitious leadership, who pull the strings in the Confederation of African Football (Caf) and want to show themselves worthy 2030 World Cup co-hosts? That will be really tough. Bafana shocked Africa’s first World Cup semifinalists - 2022, in Qatar - in the last 16 at the last Afcon. Doing it again when the Lions are hosting with so much at stake would be a big ask.

Shew, that’s a lot at stake tonight. Pull up your snacks, beers, vuvuzelas (anyone still use those) and don your jerseys and Makarapa’s and enjoy tonight’s ride with me on this Live Blog.

Some more match info, starting line-ups and build-up to follow in a bit ...

10.20am - Marc Strydom, Digital Sports Editor for TimesLIVE and Arena Holdings is your host for this Live Update for Bafana Bafana’s potential nailbiter in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) opener against Angola at Stade de Marrakech in Marrakesh Morocco.

The hugely experienced, knowledgeable and educated Bra Mahlatse, Mahlatse Mphahlele, is our man in the the stadium and providing excellent coverage from Morocco through Afcon. Catch his match report that will be published soon after tonight’s game’s conclusion.

First up, here are some match details:

Venue: Stade de Marrakech, Marrakesh, Morocco

Kickoff: 6pm in Morocco, 7pm SA time

Bafana world and Africa ranking: 61 and 11

Angola world and Africa ranking: 89 and 18

Stadium capacity: 45,240

Stadium surface: Grass

Match officials: Referee - Mahmood Ismail (Sudan)