South Africa vs Angola Tips & Preview - Bafana Bafana to show quality in Group C opener

By Tolu Shotade

21 Dec 2025

Tolu Shotade 21 Dec 2025

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South Africa and Angola clash in AFCON opener with both teams aiming to make a strong start.
Bafana Bafana are in top form, unbeaten in qualifiers and sharp in attack.
Angola aiming to surpass their previous quarter-final finish with a strong offense but defensive vulnerabilities.

South Africa vs Angola

South Africa battle regional rivals Angola in their opening Group B fixture at the Africa Cup of Nations, with both teams keen to start on a positive note.

The Angolans have caught the eye lately and can make things difficult on Monday. However, Bafana Bafana are one of the most in-form sides on the continent at the moment and will be keen to show their quality in this clash.

South Africa News

South Africa’s sole AFCON title came at home back in 1996, and they have had a few near misses since then. They finished third in the 2023 edition and will be keen to make improvements in this year's competition.

Bafana Bafana were imperious in the qualifiers and finished top of their group after going unbeaten in six matches. Their recent form has also been solid as Hugo Broos’ team have won at least one half in the last three matches and claimed a 1-0 victory over Ghana in a warm-up game before the tournament.

South Africa are often sharp in attack, scoring 16 goals in the qualifiers while also opening the scoring in their last three matches. However, having recently conceded to the likes of Zambia and Nigeria, they could be vulnerable to teams with solid attacks.

Angola News

Angola have never won the AFCON but have consistently improved over the years. They reached the quarter-finals in the last edition and will be keen to go at least one better this time around.

The Palancas Negras were also solid in qualifying and were unbeaten in their six group matches. However, Patrice Beaumelle’s team have been a bit erratic lately, with three wins and as many defeats in their last eight matches. The good news is that one of those wins came in their final warm-up game, a 4-1 victory over Mozambique.

The win over Mozambique highlights Angola’s attacking quality, having scored seven goals in their last two matches. However, there are some defensive vulnerabilities as they are without a clean sheet in both fixtures.

Head to Head

South Africa have six wins while Angola have picked up four victories, with four draws in the last 14 matches. The most recent meeting was a friendly back in July, with both teams battling to a 1-1 draw.

Verdict

South Africa v Angola

South Africa are considered one of the most in-form sides at the tournament and will be keen to underline their quality and ambitions. Having won at least one half in their last three matches, a repeat could be considered.

Bafana Bafana will be targeting a fast start here, and having struck the opening goal in their last three matches, that trend is likely to continue here. Both teams have scored in three of their last four meetings, and a similar outcome could be on the cards here.

South Africa

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South Africa

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