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AFCON 2025: Egypt, South Africa aiming for strong starts against Zimbabwe, Angola
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Reading Time: 4min | Mon. 22.12.25. | 10:29
This match offers a compelling test: South Africa aiming to reaffirm their status as continental contenders, while Angola seek to capitalize on regional progress and upset Bafana Bafana in Marrakech
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco continues on Monday after the hosts opened the tournament by beating Comoros 2-0. All four Group B teams will now be eager to kick-start their campaigns with a win, promising an exciting day of football.
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South Africa vs Angola (8 PM)
South Africa will open their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations campaign against Angola at the Marrakech Stadium in what promises to be a tightly contested Group B clash.
Historically, Angola has had the upper hand in recent encounters, winning three of their last five meetings, including a 3-0 triumph in the COSAFA Cup. Yet, Bafana Bafana arrive in better form, boasting a disciplined defense and an unbeaten record in qualifiers.
Semi-finalists at the 2023 AFCON, South Africa secured third place after a penalty shootout victory over the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Under head coach Hugo Broos, the team has maintained consistency, topping their 2025 AFCON qualifying group ahead of Uganda, Congo, and South Sudan, and booking a 2026 FIFA World Cup spot with wins over Nigeria, Benin, Lesotho, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe, including a convincing 3-0 victory over Rwanda.
Confidence is high after a 3-1 win over Zambia last month. Broos is set to reach a personal milestone on Monday, taking charge of his 50th match as South Africa manager.
The Palancas Negras, under Patrice Beaumelle, had a mixed World Cup qualifying campaign, finishing fourth in their group, but dominated their AFCON qualifying group, edging out Sudan, Niger, and Ghana.
Ahead of the tournament, Angola drew 0-0 with Cameroon and beat Mozambique 4-1, but suffered a 2-0 loss to Argentina in friendlies.
Overall, Angola have recorded two wins, three draws, and three losses in their last eight games, averaging one goal scored and 1.3 conceded per match. Injuries may impact their attack, with forward Zine Salvador ruled out, and midfielder Show sidelined with flu.
The teams have met 19 times across all competitions. South Africa leads the overall record with nine wins to Angola’s four, while six encounters ended in draws. At AFCON finals, the sides have faced each other four times in the group stage, producing two wins for South Africa and two draws.
South Africa are the 1996 AFCON champions and finished third in the last edition. Angola are appearing in their 10th tournament, having reached the quarter-finals in 2008, 2010, and 2023, but are still chasing their first major continental title.
This match offers a compelling test: South Africa aiming to reaffirm their status as continental contenders, while Angola seek to capitalise on regional progress and upset Bafana Bafana in Marrakech.
Egypt vs Zimbabwe (11 PM)
At the Adrar Stadium, Egypt start their AFCON campaign against Zimbabwe, carrying the weight of expectation as one of the tournament favourites.
Managed by Hossam Hassan, the Pharaohs are chasing an eighth continental title and aiming to end a 15-year drought since their last triumph in Luanda.
With Mohamed Salah leading the line, potentially for his final AFCON appearance, Egypt will look to combine experience and star power to navigate a tricky group stage.
The Pharaohs qualified comfortably for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, topping their group while demonstrating defensive solidity, conceding just 0.2 goals per game and keeping eight clean sheets in 10 matches. Pre-tournament preparations included a morale-boosting 2-1 friendly victory over Nigeria.
Zimbabwe, making their seventh AFCON appearance, enter the tournament under new management. Mario Marinica replaced Michael Nees last month, injecting an element of unpredictability into the Warriors’ approach.
The team qualified with difficulty, recording just three wins and relying on a penalty from Khama Billiat to secure a 1-0 victory over Namibia. Historically, Zimbabwe have struggled in the tournament, with their best performances limited to the group stage.
Egypt and Zimbabwe have met twice at AFCON, with the Pharaohs winning both encounters (2-1 in 2004, 1-0 in 2019). In official competitions, Zimbabwe have only beaten Egypt once, during the 1992 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
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