Bafana Bafana secured a 2-1 victory over Guinea in their AFCON qualifier at Orlando Amstel Arena on Saturday, with Samukelo Kabini scoring the winning goal in the 77th minute. The win marked a successful return for Pitso Mosimane, who began his second spell as head coach of the South African national team. The match was a crucial one for both teams, with the winner taking pole position in their group.
The match got off to a lively start, with Bafana Bafana dominating possession and creating several chances. Relebohile Mofokeng was presented with a glorious opportunity to score within the opening 10 minutes, but he failed to convert. The team continued to press, and their efforts were rewarded in the 30th minute when defender Ime Okon broke the deadlock from a set-piece.
Okon's goal was the perfect reward for a dominant first-half display from Mosimane's side, although they could have gone into the interval with a more comfortable advantage. Guinea, however, returned from the break with greater intent and eventually found an equaliser in the 69th minute. Seydouba Cisse scored the levelling goal from close range after a free-kick caused problems in the Bafana box.
Mosimane responded to Guinea's equaliser by turning to his bench, and the changes quickly paid dividends. Substitute Kabini restored Bafana's advantage in the 77th minute, bouncing a pass off Mbuthuma on the edge of the box before calmly finishing past the Guinea goalkeeper. The goal sent the Orlando Stadium crowd into raptures and secured a crucial win for Bafana Bafana.
The result gives Mosimane an important start as he begins another chapter with Bafana, while the performance also showed there is still plenty of work to be done despite South Africa controlling large portions of the contest. For Kabini, it was a day to remember as his late intervention, his first international goal, secured all three points and handed Mosimane a winning return.
The win puts Bafana Bafana at the top of their group, with three points from their opening match. The team will look to build on this momentum in their future matches, with Mosimane aiming to create long-term depth for South African football. The coach plans to integrate promising young talent into the team, mirroring the Springboks' squad-building model.
The match was a significant one for both teams, with Guinea pushing for another equaliser in the closing stages but ultimately failing to score. The result marks a positive start to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers for Bafana Bafana, and Mosimane will look to build on this success in the coming months.
Key points
- Samukelo Kabini scored the winning goal in the 77th minute to secure a 2-1 victory for Bafana Bafana over Guinea.
- The win marked a successful return for Pitso Mosimane, who began his second spell as head coach of the South African national team.
- Bafana Bafana took pole position in their group with the win, putting them in a strong position for the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.
