Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos delivered a fierce half-time dressing-down to his players after a lacklustre first half against Angola, sparking a comeback win in their Africa Cup of Nations opener. The team secured a 2-1 victory in Marrakesh, marking their first opening match win since 2004.
South Africa's national football team, Bafana Bafana, began their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Angola on 22 December in Marrakesh. The match highlighted coach Hugo Broos's no-nonsense approach, as he unleashed a passionate half-time rant to revive his side's performance.
Bafana started strongly, with Oswin Appollis scoring early to take the lead. However, the team soon lost momentum, allowing Angola to equalize and dominate possession. Broos later reflected on the first half: “We started the game very well. We scored a goal, and then suddenly we fell asleep and Angola came into the game [and eventually equalised]. We suffered, no one was pressing, there was no passion and we played very slowly.” He described the scare as a “good wake-up call” that would not repeat.
At the break, Broos raised his voice to warn the players they risked defeat if they continued sluggishly. “I woke the players up during half-time. My voice was a little louder than usual, hence it’s a bit rugged now. I made them conscious that if they carry on like this, we will lose the game. And you saw the reaction,” he said. The second half saw Lyle Foster score the decisive goal, extending Bafana's unbeaten streak to 27 matches.
This victory follows Broos's recent criticism of young defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi for arriving late to camp. Broos declined to reveal his exact half-time words, smiling as he said, “I do not want to tell you that.”
Looking ahead, Bafana face Egypt on 26 December at 5pm South African time. The Pharaohs, led by stars like Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush, also won their opener 2-1 against Zimbabwe and are group favourites. Broos expressed optimism: “We are very happy with the victory. Now we can go into the game against Egypt in different circumstances... I am confident because I saw what I wanted to see in the second half.” He emphasized surviving the group stages as the priority in this tough tournament.
