Bafana close Afcon qualifiers in style, beating South Sudan in buzzing Cape Town

There's no stopping this well-oiled Bafana Bafana team of coach Hugo Broos and his players and something special could be on horizon in the coming months with the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualification campaign resuming early next year.

Bafana continued their business-like performances in their last 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier, their commanding, at times stylish, 3-0 win completing a double over South Sudan at a buzzing (yes, you heard right), sold-out (yes again) Cape Town Stadium on Tuesday night.

The goals came from Iqraam Rayners in the eighth minute, Patrick Maswanganyi in the 22nd and Teboho Mokoena with a 50th-minute penalty.

Confidence, style, arrogance on the ball, superb organisation, flowing passing movements, all in front of some packed stadiums — these were terms no longer associated with the beleaguered national team through two decades of underachievement and suffering. They have been the hallmarks of a superb Nations Cup qualifying campaign, where this year's bronze medallists' progression was guaranteed when South Sudan beat Congo 3-2 at home on Thursday, before a ball was kicked in Friday's 2-0 win for Bafana over Uganda in Kampala on Friday.

Another win — Bafana's ninth of the year — on Tuesday took Broos's charges to 14 points to finish top of Group K, which bodes well for South Africa being one of the seeded teams when the draw for the 24-team finals in Morocco is conducted. 

Broos made five changes to the team that beat Uganda, with Maswanganyi, Thapelo Morena, Rayners, Fawaaz, Basadien and Siyabonga Ngezana getting the nod. 

Bafana started on the front foot. The positive vibe around the stadium was taken to another level when they opened the scoring through one of the many Cape Town-born players fielded on the evening, Rayners, the Mamelodi Sundowns striker rounding off a beauty after Oswin Appollis's excellent run down the left of the box and cross.

It was Rayners' second goal of these qualifiers after scoring in the 5-0 home thrashing of Congo in Gqeberha in October.

What would have pleased Broos more was seeing Maswanganyi, the player earmarked to succeed injured and ageing, but still crucial, attacking talisman Themba Zwane at playmaker, scoring his second Bafana goal in as many matches. 

Maswanganyi showed coolness doubling the lead, collecting the loose ball, dribbling keeper Majak Mawith and finishing after Mokoena's shot was not held by the shot-stopper. 

Mokoena got on the scoresheet six minutes after the restart, slotting past Mawith from the spot after roving right-back Khuliso Mudau was fouled in the area. 

The three goals took Bafana's tally in the qualifiers to 16 against five conceded. Mokoena finished as Bafana's leading scorer with three goals.

Broos will also be pleased so many players — also including Lyle Foster, Elias Mokwana, Bathusi Aubaas, Morena and Thalente Mbatha with those crucial two last-gasp goals that rescued a home draw against Uganda and away win against South Sudan in September — got on the scoresheet.

Qualifying for the 2025 Afcon so convincingly is a huge boost for Bafana ahead of the resumption of the World Cup campaign in March next year, where South Africa share top spot in Group C with Rwanda and Benin after four outings.

Broos is the longest-serving Bafana coach and will make history when he leads Bafana in back-to-back Nations Cups in Morocco in a tournament that spans December 2025 and January 2026.

Broos, for his exploits reviving the long-suffering Bafana and steering them to third at this year's Afcon is among the five coaches chosen for Caf's Coach of the Year.  

Bafana skipper Ronwen Williams also reached a landmark on Tuesday as he earned his 50th cap, 10 years since his debut in a 5-0 friendly defeat against Brazil at FNB Stadium in 2014.