Bafana Bafana were eliminated from the 2025 AFCON at the Round of 16 stage following a 2-1 loss to Cameroon at Al Medina Stadium in Rabat on Sunday.
It was the end of the road for South Africa and they will now have to wait longer to be crowned African champions for the first time since 1996. Sunday’s result left Cameroon still in the hunt for a sixth AFCON title. They will now meet hosts Morocco in a quarter-final showdown on Friday.
For the first time as a national team coach, Bafana’s Hugo Broos lost a match in open play in the knockout stages of this tournament. The defeat could leave the Belgian with a lot to ponder, looking at his team ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Facing his former team Cameroon, Broos made a surprise call to start Relebohile Mofokeng in place of Tshepang Moremi for this furnace-hot encounter. Left-back Samkelo Kabini was also surprisingly thrown into the starting line-up while Aubrey Modiba was benched.
The Belgian coach criticised central midfielder Sphephelo Sithole after the 3-2 win over Zimbabwe. He then opted for Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Bathusi Aubaas to start. It was a match in which the 2017 AFCON-winning tactician went defensive by picking Nosinathi Sibisi as a third centre-back.
Cameroon coach David Pahou again benched his captain Christian Bassogog. Manchester United striker Bryan Mbeumo and Christian Kofane led the line upfront.
Just six minutes into the contest, Mofokeng almost profited from a Cameroon jittery defence but blazed his effort over the bar. This was as Bafana dominated the early exchanges and promised to break their opponents, but they could not turn their control of the match into goals.
That allowed the Indomitable Lions to get themselves into the game and they duly took the lead after 34 minutes. Right-back Junior Tchamadeu needed VAR check to confirm his goal. He took advantage of South Africa’s failure to defend a corner kick to beat Ronwen Williams.
CAMEROON FINISH OFF BAFANA BAFANA WITH AN EARLY SECOND-HALF GOAL
The Central Africans came back from the breather charged and Mbekezeli Mbokazi was forced to make a desperate clearance two minutes after the restart. Then shortly after, Bayer Leverkusen teenage striker Kofane headed Cameroon further ahead off a Mahamadou Nagida delivery.
An opportunity to reduce arrears came for Bafana on the hour mark. But the Indomitable Lions’ goalkeeper Devis Epassy frustrated Kabini with a fine save. Moments later, Teboho Mokoena watched in agony as Epassy stretched long to save his well-struck free kick.
But from the resultant corner kick, Cameroon launched a counterattack which invited Williams to block Arthur Avom. Some lackadaisical approach in attack by South Africa saw Lyle Foster and Khuliso Mudau making little effort to finish a cross while well-placed inside the box.
Broos’ substitutes were to make an impact with two minutes remaining. Evidence Makgopa connected a cross from Modiba to pull a goal back for Bafana. Cameroon, however, held on to their slim lead for a date with Morocco.
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