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EZEKIEL PHALANA
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Bafana Bafana made a winning start to their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign after defeating Guinea 2–1 at a vibrant Orlando Amstel Arena Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Defender Ime Okon opened the scoring in the 30th minute, sparking celebrations among the home supporters as South Africa took control of the contest. Bafana created several opportunities to extend their lead but were unable to find the decisive second goal before Guinea fought their way back into the match.
The visitors were rewarded for their persistence in the 68th minute when Seydouba Cisse equalised, setting up a tense final phase. Guinea continued to threaten, earning the respect of Bafana head coach Pitso Mosimane, before Samukele Kabini restored South Africa’s advantage with the winning goal in the 77th minute.
Mosimane acknowledged Guinea’s quality and warned that the return fixture would present another difficult challenge.
“We have to give respect to Guinea. It will be a very interesting game when they play in Kenya. This is a quality team,” said Mosimane.
Guinea head coach Paulo Duarte was equally complimentary of Bafana Bafana despite the defeat. Duarte placed South Africa among the leading teams on the continent, alongside Morocco and Senegal, highlighting the strength of Mosimane‘s squad across all areas of the pitch.
“South Africa is one of the best teams in Africa,” Duarte said. “In every sector they are strong.”
Duarte also pointed to the depth available to Bafana, noting that several players were unavailable for the encounter.
Following the victory, Bafana Bafana travelled to OR Tambo International Airport as they began preparations for their next assignment. South Africa will face Eritrea in their next AFCON qualifier at Al-Salam Stadium in Cairo, Egypt, on Wednesday, 30 September 2026.
Bafana will then remain in Egypt for an international friendly against the hosts at Cairo International Stadium on 4 October 2026, bringing their away assignments to a close.
This version keeps the key match details and Duarte’s assessment while giving the story a stronger, polished press-release structure.