Zambia
Bafana Bafana eased past Zambia 3–1 in a friendly at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, with goals from Nkota, Appollis, and Sithole. But despite the convincing win, coach Hugo Broos warned that the match offered little pressure and said his squad remains largely untested ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Bafana Bafana delivered a confident 3–1 win over Zambia in their final warm-up match before the Africa Cup of Nations, but coach Hugo Broos refused to get carried away, insisting the performance did not offer a true measure of their readiness for the continental stage.
Playing in front of an energised crowd at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, South Africa controlled the rhythm of the game from the opening whistle. Mohau Nkota opened the scoring with a sharp finish, followed by a composed strike from Oswin Appollis that doubled the lead. Sphephelo Sithole later added the third, ensuring Bafana maintained their dominance throughout the match.
Midfielder Sipho Mbule proved influential, stitching play together and supplying two of the assists that carved open a Zambian defence that struggled to cope with South Africa’s pace and movement.
Yet Broos, ever the realist, was reluctant to draw sweeping conclusions from the result. He praised the effort but noted that Zambia failed to apply consistent pressure, leaving him uncertain about how his squad will respond under the intensity and tactical discipline expected at AFCON.
Broos has already settled on most of his 23-man squad, but he used the friendly to test combinations, sharpen cohesion, and observe fringe players in competitive minutes. While the win keeps Bafana’s momentum intact, the coach stressed that Morocco will present a different level of challenge — one that will expose any lapses in concentration or structure.
