As AFCON 2025 moves into the high-stakes knockout phase, Gabon head coach Thierry Mouyouma has weighed in on the upcoming Round of 16 blockbuster between South Africa and Cameroon.
The clash, scheduled for Sunday, January 4, 2026, at the Al Medina Stadium in Rabat, carries extra emotional weight as coach Hugo Broos faces his former team.
Mouyouma, whose Gabonese side faced the Indomitable Lions during the group stage, believes that while Cameroon possesses a legendary ‘big game’ mentality, Bafana Bafana holds a distinct tactical and structural advantage heading into the clash.
Speaking after Group F concluded, Mouyouma highlighted the contrasting stability of the two camps. He cited Broos’s long-standing tenure, ironically, the man who led Cameroon to AFCON glory in 2017, as a decisive factor.
WHAT MOUYOUMA THINKS ARE BAFANA’S ADVANTAGES
“It’ll be the opposite side of playing football,” Mouyouma said. “Bafana Bafana is at an advantage because they know each other. The coach has been here for two or three [four] years. The Cameroonian coach just arrived.”
Cameroon entered the tournament under a cloud of administrative turnover, with David Pagou taking the reins just weeks before the opening match. Mouyouma argues that this lack of preparation time limits Cameroon’s tactical depth.
“The [Cameroon] coach doesn’t have the opportunity to show tactically what he is supposed to bring to a team like that,” Mouyouma said. “So, it’s going to be high spirit against tactical spirit.”
Despite the tactical edge he gives to South Africa, the former Ajax Cape Town and Bidvest Wits defender warned against underestimating the five-time champions. Cameroon’s ability to “increase their mind” during major tournaments remains its most dangerous weapon.
Mouyouma noted that Cameroon’s history in AFCON allows them to elevate their performance regardless of form. He described South Africa as a cohesive unit, noting that many players compete domestically together, creating a familiarity with the play that is hard to break down.
Bafana enters the game looking to build on their semi-final run from the previous edition. At the same time, Cameroon aims to prove that its ‘Indomitable’ spirit can overcome its recent tactical instability.
“Bafana Bafana need to be careful with the attitude of Cameroon,” Mouyouma concluded. “But when it comes to the way of talking [on the pitch], I think Bafana Bafana is at an advantage in that game.”
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