South Africa and Angola will reignite a familiar Africa Cup of Nations rivalry on Monday as both sides begin their Group B campaigns at the 2025 TotalEnergies AFCON in Morocco.
The opening-day encounter will be staged at the Marrakesh Stadium today (December 22), with kick-off at 17:00 local time (16:00 GMT). It will be the fifth time the two nations have faced each other at AFCON, and their first meeting at the tournament on North African soil.
Previous AFCON clashes between the sides have often been finely balanced. From four group-stage meetings, South Africa have claimed two victories, with the remaining two ending all square. Among the most notable was Mark Williams’ killer strike in a 1-0 win during South Africa’s triumphant 1996 campaign in Johannesburg.
They also shared a 1-1 draw in Tamale at the 2008 finals, where Elrio van Heerden struck late to rescue a point for Bafana Bafana, while tournament hosts South Africa ran out 2-0 winners in Durban in 2013 thanks to goals from Siyabonga Sangweni and Lehlohonolo Majoro.
Only once have Angola progressed from a group that included South Africa - in 2008, compared with three occasions for Bafana Bafana, who advanced in 1996, 1998 and 2013.
The broader head-to-head history adds another layer of intrigue. Across 19 meetings in all competitions, South Africa hold the overall advantage with nine wins to Angola’s four, alongside six draws. However, recent form favors the Palancas Negras, who are unbeaten in their last six matches against South Africa.
That run includes a convincing 3-0 victory in the 2025 COSAFA Cup final, underlining Angola’s growing confidence in the fixture. South Africa’s last win over Angola dates back to 2015, when they secured a 1-0 World Cup qualifying success.
By: Pascal Amoah
