Bafana Bafana did the job at home as they cruised past Congo Brazzaville with a comfortable 5-0 win during their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Friday.
South Africa is now one win away from qualifying for the Afcon in Morocco next year. They will play Congo away in the second leg on Tuesday.
Thanks to goals from Teboho Mokoena, who scored a brace, Bathusi Aubaas, Lyle Foster, and Iqraam Rayners to help secure a crucial win for Bafana in front of a fully packed and boisterous Gqeberha crowd.
It was evident from coach Hugo Broos’ starting line-up that the Belgian technician was going all out for a win, as he named a strong attacking side that saw Burnley star Lyle Foster leading the line of attack alongside Themba Zwane, Oswin Appollis, and Elias Mokwana.
Bafana also saw the return of captain fantastic and Ballon d’Or nominee Ronwen Williams to the team after missing the previous two qualifier matches against Uganda and South Sudan.
The home side started the game on a high as they registered a goal as early as the 12th minute when Mamelodi Sundowns star Mokoena scored a bullet header from a well-worked Appollis corner kick.
Mokoena doubled Bafana’s lead in some style when he scored a cracker from the edge of the box in the 27th minute to send the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium crowd into a frenzy – that saw some supporters invading the pitch to join the celebrations.
Mauritanian referee Beida Dahane ended up halting the game, as the Congo team walked down the tunnel, while SA Association officials and Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie walked onto the pitch to call for calm from supporters.
Eventually, the game resumed, and Bafana picked up from where they left off as Aubaas scored a similar goal as Mokoena when he leaped frogged the highest inside the box during an Appollis cross from a corner.
In the second half, the South Africans added two more goals from strikers Foster and substitute Rayners to take their point tally in Group K to seven points and sit on number two in Group K behind table leaders Uganda.
