South Africa got their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign off to a winning start by defeating Angola 2-1 in a Group B match at the Marrakesh Stadium on Monday evening.
Bafana Bafana opened the scoring through Oswin Appollis, but were outplayed by the Palancas Negras in the first half, with the men in red and black levelling the game via Show.
However, Hugo Broos’s side stepped up their performance after the restart and ultimately secured a deserved triumph via a superb strike from Lyle Foster with just over 10 minutes of regulation time to play.
The teams exchanged early chances, with the best falling to Angola’s Fredy, who had a 15th minute volley from the edge of the penalty area which required a sharp save from South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.
Bafana Bafana then claimed the lead just before the midway point of the first half. A cross from Khuliso Mudau ended up at the feet of Oswin Appollis, who worked a sliver of space just inside the penalty area before driving a low shot into the bottom corner of the net for 1-0.
Angola looked for a reply and nearly levelled the game on 29 minutes through Gelson Dala, who powered a header on target from a corner kick, but his effort was straight at Williams, allowing the ‘keeper to scramble the ball away.
Six minutes later the Palancas Negras deservedly drew level at 1-1, with Fredy’s free kick flicked home by Show, whose intelligent effort from the outside of his boot had the beating of Williams at the ‘keeper’s near post.
Angola had been the stronger team through the course of the first half, but South Africa started the second strongly and believed they had reclaimed the lead on 51 minutes when substitute Tshepang Moremi found the back of the net with a superb low drive.
However, a VAR review rescinded the goal as Lyle Foster was in an offside position in the build-up.
Bafana Bafana were inches away from a spectacular second goal in the 58th minute, as defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi let fly from long range and rattled the crossbar.
South Africa’s second-half performance deserved a goal, and it duly arrived in the 79th minute, with Lyle Foster curling home a superb strike from the ‘D’ of the box after a quick passing move from the men in yellow and green.
Foster’s outstanding goal proved to be decisive, with Angola unable to build up any significant pressure in search of an equaliser in the remainder of the match.
The teams will be back in action on Friday 26 December, with Angola facing Zimbabwe, while South Africa will cross swords with Egypt.