South Africa overcame a spirited Zimbabwe side, who were warmly supported at the Toyota Stadium, to notch up their first win of the tournament and climb to second place in Group A.

Once again, South Africa dominated possession and dictated the tempo of the match, much like they did against Mozambique, but this time they made far better use of their chances.

Zimbabwean supporter. Photo: Morgan Piek

The deadlock was broken in the 40th minute when a penalty was awarded to South Africa after Marumo Gallants’ star Masindi “Confidence” Nemtajela was brought down in the box. Following a lengthy VAR review, Kabelo Dlamini, who began his professional career at Bloemfontein Celtic, calmly slotted home from the spot to give Bafana a 1–0 lead at the break.

The second half followed a similar pattern, with South Africa in control. In the final 25 minutes, they stepped up the pressure, launching wave after wave of attack.

Their persistence paid off in the 78th minute when 21-year-old SuperSport United defender Ime Okon powered home a header from a well-delivered corner to double South Africa’s lead and put the result beyond doubt. That goal could prove crucial in the race for a semi-final spot, with goal difference potentially decisive in Tuesday’s final group fixtures.

Masindi “Confidence” Nemtajela. Photo: Morgan Piek

Bafana continued to push for a third goal, but Zimbabwe’s defence held firm.

After the match, Bafana coach Vela Khumalo said it was the win his side desperately needed, and he remains confident ahead of their final group game, though a bit of help from elsewhere wouldn’t go amiss.

“This is the boost we needed. We’re still hopeful – and we’re still saying Mozambique must win against Zimbabwe, then you know,” said Khumalo.

“Our objective is clear – we have to beat Mauritius. We need those three points to take us to six, and from there, we’ll see how things play out.”

“We were very positive after our analysis. We believed we could score, win the game, and move forward. The pressure is always there in football, but this wasn’t a fluke. These are the things we’ve been working on in training. After breaking things down, we knew how to set up, and we executed it. This didn’t come from nowhere.”

Bafana’s final group game is scheduled for 15:00 on Tuesday against Mauritius at the Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium.

Earlier on Saturday, Mozambique retained their spot at the top of Group A after a goalless draw with Mauritius. In the day’s final match, Madagascar edged Tanzania 1–0 in a Group C encounter.

On Sunday, the action moves to the Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium in Rocklands. Angola will take on Lesotho at 12:00 in Group B, followed by Namibia vs Malawi at 15:00.

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek cg