Bafana Bafana got the job done against and clinched maximum points when they outclassed Zimbabwe 3-1 during their 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifier at a fully packed Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein on Tuesday night.
The result means Bafana have moved up the Group C standings to number two with seven points, while Zimbabwe languish at the bottom with two points.
Bafana coach Hugo Broos named one change to the team that played to a 1-1 draw against Nigeria in Uyo last week Friday, which saw Percy Tau being dropped and Elias Mokwana starting ahead of him.
The home side had a perfect start when Stellenbosch FC striker Iqraam Rayners opened the scoring 30 seconds into the game, when he capitalized from a defensive blunder from Munashe Garananga.
However, within a space of seconds, the visitors made an instant reply and scored an equaliser through Tawanda Chirewa, who caught goalkeeper Ronwen Williams on the near post.
The game opened as Bafana took the game to the Warriors in search of the second goal, but neither could get the second goal and went into half time level.
Going into the second half, Broos introduced Thapelo Morena for Mokwana – a substitute that would pay dividends for the Belgian tactician as Morena scored two goals to earn himself the man-of-the-match accolade.
Broos also handed Orlando Pirates teenage sensation Relebohile Mofokeng his first national team appearance in stoppage time, when he came on with a smile for Oswin Appollis.
It goes without saying that the crowd in the ‘City of Roses’ was second to none, as they sand their lungs out and chanted their traditional siwelele songs.
Bloemfontein last hosted a competitive national team match 14 years ago during the 2010 Fifa World Cup that was hosted in South Africa.
In other matches, Nigeria was stunned by Benin when they lost 2-1 on Monday, while high-flying Rwanda beat Lesotho 1-0 in their encounter at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
