Bafana Bafana supporters in Polokwane have welcomed South Africa’s progression to the knockout stage of the Africa Cup of Nations but insist the team must improve defensively if they are to go deeper in the competition.
The comments came after South Africa’s dramatic 3–2 victory over neighbours Zimbabwe in Marrakesh on Monday night, a result that secured second place in Group B behind Egypt and booked a spot in the round of 16.
While fans were pleased with the attacking intent and fighting spirit shown by the team, concerns were raised about lapses at the back that allowed Zimbabwe to stay in the contest until the final whistle.
Supporter Kambou Sansan praised the performance but stressed the need for consistency.
“Bafana played very well against Zimbabwe and showed they wanted to win, not just qualify. They must take that same spirit into the next game,” he said.
Another fan, Brown Makumbe, echoed those sentiments, adding a regional note of support.
“As Southern Africans, we wish South Africa well. We hope they can continue and bring the AFCON trophy home. That would be a victory for all of us as Africans,” he said.
However, not all feedback was celebratory. Some supporters highlighted defensive organisation as an area that needs urgent attention to ease the pressure on goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.
Football fan Jacky Mashile said the balance between attack and defence must improve.
“The midfield is doing very well and the strikers are creating chances, but the back line must be more organised. The players should also try more long-range shots to kill games earlier,” he said.
On the pitch, South Africa made a bright start, with Oswin Appollis testing Zimbabwe goalkeeper Washington Arubi early on. Bafana opened the scoring in the sixth minute when Tshepang Moremi’s shot deflected off Divine Lunga into the net.
Zimbabwe responded swiftly, levelling through a superb solo effort from Tawanda Maswanhise. The Warriors continued to threaten, exposing moments of hesitation in the South African defence.
Early in the second half, a mistake at the back allowed Lyle Foster to restore Bafana’s lead, before Zimbabwe struck again via an unfortunate own goal by Aubrey Modiba. The decisive moment arrived when VAR awarded South Africa a penalty, which Appollis calmly converted.
Despite late pressure from Zimbabwe, Bafana held on for a hard-fought win.
Head coach Hugo Broos admitted afterward that qualification was the priority but conceded improvements are needed. He pointed to issues with concentration, ball distribution and defensive focus, not only against Zimbabwe but throughout the group stage.
South Africa finished the group on six points, behind Egypt’s seven, and will now face the runner-up from Group F in early January. Potential opponents include Cameroon, Ivory Coast or Mozambique.