Friendly: South Africa beats Ghana and gains confidence ahead of AFCON 2025

South Africa recorded a narrow but valuable victory over Ghana (1-0) on Tuesday, 16 December 2025, in a friendly match played at Dobsonville Stadium. An important win for the Bafana Bafana, who are in the final stretch of their preparations for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Facing the Black Galaxies, the South Africans generally controlled the match, showing clear dominance in ball possession (66%). Long ineffective in the final action during the first half, Hugo Broos’s men eventually made the difference after the break. Sipho Mbule, very active in midfield, scored the only goal of the match, rewarding the pressure applied by the hosts.

Without being flamboyant, South Africa repeatedly tested the Ghanaian defense, creating multiple dangerous situations. This victory, the only official warm-up match before departure for Morocco, is an encouraging sign for the Belgian coach and his squad.

On the Ghanaian side, this match, played outside the FIFA window, served as a test ahead of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifiers. Made up exclusively of players competing in the domestic league, the Black Galaxies put in a solid performance but were lacking offensively. Despite a few chances, they never managed to find a way through, an assessment their coach Kassim Mingle Ocansey downplayed, describing it as a learning experience against a strong, well-organized South African side.