Bafana roar — Afcon bronze medallists flex muscle and put Congo to sword

Teboho Mokoena's first-half brace sets up rout that lifts the roof at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium

Teboho Mokoena celebrates one of his goals for Bafana Bafana in their 2025 African Cup of Nations qualifying win against Congo at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Friday night.
Teboho Mokoena celebrates one of his goals for Bafana Bafana in their 2025 African Cup of Nations qualifying win against Congo at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Friday night.
Image: Richard Huggard/Gallo Images

Teboho Mokoena chose the perfect platform to make a mockery of his continued controversial absence from Mamelodi Sundowns.

‘Tebza’, who had not played competitively in five consecutive matches for the Brazilians, scored a first half brace to put a fired-up Bafana Bafana on a path to a dominant 5-0 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifying thrashing of Congo in Gqeberha on Friday night.

Mokoena's breakthrough openers in the 12th and 27th minutes were followed by a procession of goals from Bathusi Aubaas (37th), Lyle Foster (52nd) and substitute Iqraam Rayners (78th), with Bafana missing some chances in front of open goals that could have resulted in an even bigger scoreline.

The controlled victory, that unfolded in front of a bouncing and near capacity crowd, has taken South Africa to seven points in Group K after three matches and a came as a giant step towards Afcon in Morocco next year.

Foster going off injured was a dampener for the South Africans. Another was the match was marred by ugly scenes in the first half when proceedings were halted for about 20 minutes after fans invaded the pitch to celebrate Mokoena’s goals.

The match officials took Congo to the change rooms. The match resumed after security was beefed up — raising questions over the level provided by the South African Football Association (Safa) from the start of the match — and appeals by coach Hugo Broos, Safa president Danny Jordaan and sports minister Gayton Mackenzie for calm.

In one of Bafana's best performances under Broos, adding to their growing reputation after winning the bronze medal at this year's Afcon in Ivory Coast, the South Africans overwhelmed Diables Rouges.

Bafana fell one short of their record winning margin, a 6-0 Afcon qualifying win against Seychelles at FNB Stadium in October 2018. It is a measure of the strides Broos' combination have been taking that this thrashing was handed out to a far better team.

Congo were relatively pedestrian in attack, though the fired-up South Africa also made them look that way. But the Central Africans' organisation early on was decent, capitulating only in the face of the intensity, pace, skill and quality of the Bafana build-ups and rampant attack. 

Mokoena is going to play another key role for Bafana in the away match in Brazzaville Tuesday. It remains to be seen, after a world-class showing in the first of South Africa's two games this month, if Downs coach Manqoba Mngqithi can continue to freeze the midfielder out if he returns to Chloorkop with no injury.

Bafana started the match on the front foot as their four-man front-line of Oswin Appollis and Elias Mokwana on the wings and Themba Zwane and Lyle Foster through the middle looking threatening.

There was a scare for South Africa after nine minutes when Mokoena went down after a nasty collision with Glid Mvouo but he was able to continue.

Moments later, Mokoena outjumped Ryan Bidounga in the box to head a well-taken cross from Appollis.

Mokoena registered his double in style when he turned and unleashed a thunderous strike from the edge of the penalty box that beat Congo goalkeeper Christoffer Mafoumbi.

It was the same modus operandi for the third goal with Appollis delivering another sumptuous corner that this time land on the head of Aubaas, who expertly directed a powerful header past Mafoumbi.

Aubaas is another player who does not get regular game time at Sundowns and he used this opportunity to raise his hand to give Mngqithi anther selection headache.

Bafana put the match beyond any when Mokwana laid the ball into the path of Foster who did the rest. Rayners completed the rout in the closing stages, latching onto a stray pass in his box by Mafoumbi that came as a result of immense pressure from the South Africans.


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