Apollis’ late penalty seals Bafana’s place in AFCON last 16

South Africa clinched a 3-2 victory over Zimbabwe on Monday in Marrakesh to progress to the knockout stages of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The Warriors put up a tough fight, but a late penalty by Man of the Match Oswin Apollis sealed Bafana finishing second in Group B, behind Egypt, who drew their final game 0-0 against Angola.

South Africa’s likely contenders in the round of 16 will be Cameroon or the Ivory Coast.

Despite Bafana Bafana historically struggling against physically robust opponents, former SA goalkeeper Farouk Abrahams is optimistic.

He believes the team’s technical skills and speed could be a game-changer if they can play an open game.

Abrahams says they need to work on closing the gaps between their defenders and midfielders to prevent opponents from exploiting them.

“[Because] the moment it becomes more compact and closed with tight, physical battles... our guys get pushed over the ball way too easily.”

He adds, “The Ivory Coast and Cameroon game was like a war zone, so it’s about matching that kind of physical strength.”

South Africa’s first knockout fixture is set for Sunday, 4 January 2026 at 9pm.

To listen to Abrahams in conversation with John Maytham (in for CapeTalk’s Lester Kiewit), click the audio player below: