Bafana Bafana face Angola in AFCON opener on Monday

With the local leagues on Christmas break, all focus shifts to the highly anticipated Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The tournament kicks off on Sunday, 21 December, between the host nation, Morocco and Comoros at 9 pm. 

With no clear favourites, the competition is wide open, says sports editor Bareng-Batho Kortjaas.

“It does not matter if you are Egypt, you have won it seven times and are looking for your eighth, or whether you are Cameroon, who have won it five times.”  

South Africa will be in action on Monday, and despite the behind-the-scenes drama, the team is looking strong.

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Kortjaas praises the progress made by coach Hugo Broos, who took over in 2021, and Bafana Bafana’s ability to adapt and incorporate players from several clubs.

It will be important for the team to get the six points from their first two games against Angola and Egypt to set the tone for the rest of the competition.

“We have qualified for the AFCON at the top of our group for the first time in donkeys years, which is the very same thing we did for the World Cup.”

“It will be sad if this body of work in the four years that he has put in has not rewarded it with an AFCON.” 

South Africa vs Angola kicks off on Monday (22 December) at 7 pm.

To listen to Kortjaas in conversation with 702’s Thabo Shole Mashao, click the audio player below: