South Africa Pose Real Threat to Cameroon: Philip Atsrim
The Round of 16 line-up for the 2025/26 Africa Cup of Nations has been confirmed, setting the stage for a blockbuster knockout phase.
South Africa will lock horns with five-time champions Cameroon in Rabat on Sunday evening, in what promises to be one of the standout ties of the last-16. Bafana Bafana head into the clash carrying belief — and a familiar figure on the touchline.
Bafana coach Hugo Broos famously led Cameroon to AFCON glory in 2017, and respected Ghanaian football analyst Philip Atsrim believes that experience gives South Africa a psychological edge.
According to Atsrim, Broos’ presence should strip Cameroon of any fear factor.
He argues that South Africa are the more structured and disciplined side, while Cameroon can often be erratic despite their attacking firepower. Atsrim feels Bafana’s ability to create chances, combined with improved defensive concentration, could prove decisive against a Cameroonian team still finding cohesion.
“If South Africa remain compact at the back, they can hurt Cameroon,” Atsrim explained. “They are organised, they are scoring goals, and they are creating chances. Cameroon have quality and can be unpredictable, but they are still gelling. That makes this a very tricky game — but one South Africa can win.”
Knockout football raises the stakes
The Round of 16 begins on Saturday, with Senegal facing Sudan before Tunisia meet Mali. On Sunday, attention will turn to Rabat, where hosts Morocco take on Tanzania at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, followed by South Africa’s clash with Cameroon at the Agdal Medina Stadium.
Atsrim, who has covered every AFCON since 2010, believes the knockout phase could ignite a tournament that has so far produced few shocks.
He notes that South Africa’s semi-final run at the 2023 AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire counts heavily in their favour, especially with much of that squad still intact. However, he also places Bafana among a tight group of genuine contenders.
“Nigeria look strong again, Algeria seem revived, Egypt always know how to manage AFCON, Morocco have home support, Côte d’Ivoire are defending champions — and South Africa are right there,” Atsrim said. “Cameroon are dangerous too. Sometimes they look quiet, but tournaments have a way of waking them up.”
No room for complacency
While the group stage passed without major upsets, Atsrim believes the real drama begins now, with heavyweight nations set to clash head-on.
Bafana goalkeeper Sipho Chaine echoed those sentiments, stressing that AFCON is never predictable.
“That’s the beauty of African football,” Chaine said. “Big nations, dark horses — when they meet, every game is difficult. That’s why this competition is so hard to win.”
The Round of 16 concludes on Tuesday, with the quarter-finals scheduled to kick off from 9 January, as the race for continental glory intensifies.
come on bafana bafana. cameroon is beatable as long as Yayah Sithole stays away from the team.