Bafana Bafana signal serious AFCON intent with comfortable Zambia rout

Although the fixture was only a friendly, Hugo Broos' men approached it with intensity and purpose, delivering a commanding performance that could easily have produced more goals for the home side.

The opening exchanges were evenly contested, with both teams enjoying good spells of possession but struggling to carve out clear chances. Bafana's first threatening moment came in the 20th minute when Teboho Mokoena unleashed a long-range effort that missed the target by inches.

Zambia's biggest spark came through Fashion Sakala, who tried to work openings down the left-hand side, but he found it difficult to escape the close marking of Khuliso Mudau, who ensured the forward had little room to operate.

With no shots on target in the early stages, the game's first real test for either goalkeeper arrived in the 31st minute. Sipho Mbule struck a powerful effort from distance, forcing Zambia keeper Toaster Nsabata to parry the ball away from danger.

Bafana then tightened their grip on the match, producing wave after wave of attack. Lyle Foster came close after a slick move involving Tshepang Moremi and Oswin Appollis, but he fired over the bar.

The breakthrough finally arrived just before half-time. Mbule threaded a superb pass into the path of Appollis, who calmly slotted home to give South Africa a deserved 1-0 lead at the interval.

Zambia threatened shortly after the restart when Sakala latched onto a flicked ball, but Mudau was again alert to shut him down before he could get a shot on target.

South Africa continued to dominate, and their pressure paid off again after the hour mark. Substitute Mohau Nkota made an immediate impact, curling a brilliant strike into the net to double the lead, with Mbule claiming his second assist of the evening. Moments later, Sphephelo Sithole rose highest to head home Bafana's third.

Zambia nearly responded through Fashion Sakala, whose effort rolled narrowly wide of substitute goalkeeper Sipho Chaine, who had replaced captain Ronwen Williams earlier in the match.

Bafana looked poised to see out the match comfortably, but Zambia grabbed a late consolation in stoppage time through Sabobo Banda's composed finish, making it 3-1 at full-time.

The 2025 AFCON will be staged in Morocco from 21 December 2025 to 21 January 2026.