Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has delivered a candid assessment of the Angolan national team as his troops prepare for their CAF 2025 AFCON group stage opener in Morocco.
Broos shared his thoughts on Angola after Bafana played their last friendly match against Ghana in preparation for the AFCON competition on Tuesday afternoon at the Dobsonville Stadium in Soweto. Bafana secured a 1-0 victory over Ghana courtesy of Sipho Mbule‘s spectacular goal in the second half.
The continental tournament will take place in Morocco from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026. Broos’ charges and Angola are placed in Group B alongside Egypt and Zimbabwe.
Bafana are set to lock horns with Angola in their first group stage game on Monday, December 22 at the Grand Stade de Marrakech. The kick-off for this showdown is at 19:00 [SA time].
HUGO BROOS NOT TAKING ANGOLA FOR GRANTED
Broos characterised Angola as a formidable opponent, emphasising the heightened motivation within their camp as players look to impress newly appointed head coach Patrice Beaumelle.
The Bafana Bafana mentor warned that the Palancas Negras have entered the tournament with a clear mandate, noting that their primary objective for the opening clash is to secure all three points.
“You know, I saw Angola playing in the [2026 FIFA World Cup] qualifiers. They played at home and lost the game 1-0 [against Libya on September 4, 2025]. If they played that game 10 times, they would win it nine times. So, they are a good team, and you can be sure about that,” said Broos.
“They have some good players and are very tactical. Now, with the new coach, he is always giving something extra, and the players always want to prove themselves. So, that means we will have a tough opponent next week on Monday.
“But on the other side, I believe in my team. I also believe in what my team has already done in the past. We have beaten better opponents than that [Angola]. So, that means we don’t have to be afraid and should be confident in ourselves, but they will not give us presents because we will have to play at our highest level, and winning against them is enough. We don’t have to think about 2-0 or 3-0, but any win will be a better result for us.”
Following their opener against Angola, South Africa’s focus will shift to a high-stakes Boxing Day showdown with Egypt at the Adrar Stadium in Agadir on December 26. Bafana Bafana will then wrap up their group stage campaign with a highly anticipated regional derby against neighbours Zimbabwe at the Grand Stade de Marrakech on December 29.
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