Congo v Bafana Bafana – Preview

Bafana Bafana continue their 2025 AFCON qualification campaign on Tuesday evening when they face Congo in Brazzaville (Kickoff: 6 PM). The team shared arrival photos on Sunday afternoon, having flown straight from Gqeberha, where they enjoyed a massive 5-0 victory over the same opponents. That result alone will give the boys a psychological edge ahead of Tuesday’s match. A win for Bafana will confirm their qualification for the showpiece in Morocco, as 10 points would knock Congo and South Sudan out of contention. However, a draw or defeat could complicate matters, potentially taking the qualification down to the final matchday in November. We preview the return leg.

Bafana’s Dominant Performance

Bafana were dominant in the first leg of the doubleheader, sweeping the Congolese aside with three first-half goals. Teboho Mokoena’s brace and Bathusi Aubaas’ strike left the visitors with a mountain to climb at halftime. This was only the fourth time in 30 years of AFCON qualifying that Bafana led by a 3+ goal margin at halftime, the first since October 2018 against Seychelles, a match they went on to win 6-0. Although Bafana didn’t reach 6-0 this time, five goals were close enough, marking their second-biggest margin of victory in an AFCON qualifier, only behind the 6-0 win over Seychelles in the AFCON 2019 qualifiers.

4 – Bafana saw at least four different players score in the same AFCON qualifier for just the third time (also vs. Gabon in 1999 and vs. Seychelles in 2018 ).

A Different Challenge

“My only concern is the pitch there. It’s a synthetic pitch. We’ve had bad experiences with synthetic pitches in the past if they’re not in good condition… But if the pitch isn’t good, it will be more of a fighting football match.” – Hugo Broos

While the opponent remains the same, Tuesday’s game will present a very different challenge. For one, the match will be played on an artificial pitch, something Bafana have struggled with in the past. The World Cup qualifier against Rwanda a year ago stands out, as Bafana struggled with the surface and suffered a 2-0 defeat in Butare. Secondly, the Congolese will be desperate to avenge the 5-0 humiliation from a few days ago. Although a draw would keep them in the qualification race, they know a win would give them a stronger chance of advancing from the group. That said, Bafana remain heavy favorites, with the odds giving them a 58% chance of victory (compared to 20% for Congo). Their record against Congo since readmission has been solid.

1 – Bafana has only lost once against Congo, winning six and drawing the other four encounters.

Key Players

The return of Ronwen Williams to the squad was a hot topic before the first encounter. Bafana kept a clean sheet in that game, but it could have been a different story were it not for Williams’ key saves. This was the first clean sheet Bafana Bafana kept in an AFCON qualifier under Hugo Broos, coming in his seventh qualifier. However, it was the swift passing and movements of the attackers and attacking midfielders that stole the show. On an artificial pitch, where the coach admits the football will be “fighting football,” defensive midfielders and physical players may be the key. Players like Bathusi Aubaas could be crucial, while Teboho Mokoena’s composure could relieve pressure in front of a hostile crowd. Additionally, players with CAF experience will be vital, including one of the most celebrated players at the moment.

50 – Themba Zwane earned his 50th cap for Bafana Bafana against Congo, having made his debut in 2014.