BLOW BY BLOW | Bafana edge Zim in goal fest to reach Afcon last 16

FULL TIME - Zimbabwe 2 Bafana Bafana 3

Something of a thriller. In the end Bafana had the better of the game. Zimbabwe, though, never gave up fighting.

South Africa have come through a tough group. Yet to put in a convincing performance. But they have done some toughening up.

Broos’s team will need to be far more forceful in the knockouts, though.

Angola and Egypt drew 0-0 in Rabat. The table sees Egypt top (seven points), Bafana second (six), Angola third (two) and Zimbabwe unfortunate to be bottom (one point).

Bafana meet the runners-up in Group F in the last 16 in Rabat on Sunday - either Cameroon or Ivory Coast. It just gets harder from here.

They have some time to prepare, which is good, because there is much to iron out from this group stage performance.

90min+9 - That’s it! Bafana Bafana are into the knockouts, 3-2 winners against Zimbabwe!

90min+7 - Perhaps Zim out of ideas? Basically minutes left - thanks to Williams going down. Perhaps seconds!

90min+4 - Last-ditch stops and blocks from Bafana defenders and Williams.

Then the SA keeper goes down for a stoppage. Good to slow things down.

90min+1 - Seven minutes added!!

88min - The clock is winding down. Bafana managing the game for now!!

84min - Sub Macauley Bonne through into the box on the right and forces a stop off the right leg of Williams!

I mean, really. It’s too much.

82min - GOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLL!!!!

Zimbabwe 2 Bafana 3!!

Appollis slots it, to the left of Arubi!!!!!

80min - There is a VAR check for Zim skipper Marvelous Nakamba handball in the box. He was diving for a header to keep out a shot at the right upright, but touched with his hand.

It’s a penalty!!!!

77min - Bafana really, really need to not bottle this! ...

76min - Mohau Nkota on for Moremi.

74min - GOOOOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLL!!!!!!

Zimbabwe 2 Bafana 2

Maswanhise too easily beats the offside trap to spring through on goal, forces a great save from Williams but the rebound ricochets in off Aubrey Modiba’s head.

That will go down as a Modiba own goal!

72min - Evidence Makgopa on for Foster.

(Zim made a raft of subs a few minutes ago)

68min - The other Sundowns-SuperSport-Harmony Academy man, Teboho Mokoena, also attempts one from range. Taken far easier by Arubi.

Is it me, or with the attention on Mbule’s general quietness in Morocco has Mokoena’s subdued performance compared to just under two years ago in Ivory Coast slipped under the radar?

Both really (touch wood and not to jinx anything, but SA look headed there now - remember, a draw will do), and I think especially Mokoena, need to up their contributions for SA in the knockouts.

67min - More like it. Appollis conjuring his magic on the left, tees up MasterChef inside him, who cooks up a fins strike from the edge of the area stopped by Arubi.

66min - The South Africans need a goal and to take more control of their lead.

63min - Another goal early in a half for Bafana, again with some fortune involved, again also resulting from pressure.

Again, Zimbabwe rally - they stretch SA’s defence around the box and scorer Maswanhise so close to a second, striking low onto the right upright!

58min - Interplay between Appollis on the left and Foster in the box ends with Appollis forcing a stop from Arubi.

50min - GOOOOOOOAAAAAAaaaAALLLLLLLLLL!!!!

Zimbabwe 1 Bafana 2

Lyle Foster heads Bafana ahead again!

Divine Lunga does not deal with a high-bouncing ball in front of his box well, seems in two minds and skews a header back towards his own goal.

Foster gets in ahead of Arubi to the bouncing ball and connects a header over the Zim keeper and into goal. SA have the lead again.

46min - We have kickoff! The second half is under way ...

HALF TIME - Zimbabwe 1 Bafana Bafana 1

A few ways to look at that half.

Zimbabwe will probably be the happier of the two teams at the break. They went toe to toe with Bafana and are every bit in it as they go to the change rooms.

On the other hand, Bafana have had two fairly unconvincing opening halves in both games in Morocco, and got far stronger after the break. They might have that in mind as they come out for the second 45min.

South Africa had some luck in the opener given the big deflection Appollis’s strike took past Arubi. Zim, on the other hand, deserved their classy goal by Maswanhise.

But SA controlled the opening and final 15min. Zim had the middle 15. Bafana edged overall play, though marginally. If Broos’s team get their foot on the ball better in the second half, some tactics better, some good subs off the bench maybe, this Live Blogger is going to stick his neck out and say Bafana should still win this one.

The stats show almost 70% possession and four shots on target to one for Bafana. They need to turn such an advantage into goals.

Tight, though, decidedly tight, out there in Marrakesh. We shouldn’t have expected anything different.

45min+3 - That’s the break. They go the change rooms level. Tight opening half!

45min+1 - Just a minute added ...

41min - That will give Mbule confidence. That man Appollis’ running the source of Bafana getting on the front foot a bit again and sometimes behind Zim.

He feeds Mbule on the edge of the box whose powerful drive is well kept out by Arubi.

38min - Always such a tight game for Bafana against the Warriors, always such a grind.

After their start, SA would have hoped it wouldn’t be, but Zim totally back in this game and making life tough for Broos’ team.

Some forward momentum for SA again, though. A pair of free kicks come to nothing, the second ending with Ngezana heading well over the bar.

33min - Mbule again battling to get into the game as a playmaker. His frustration shows as he clips Daniel Msendami outside the Zim box and is booked.

29min - Then Zim earn a free kick on the left. From midfielder Jonah Fabisch‘s delivery, Garananga is basically unmarked to get a close-range header, over the bar.

SA need to tighten up.

28min - Copenhagen defender Munashe Garananga up in an advanced position, strikes hard but well off target from outside the box for Zim.

19min - GOOOOOOOAAAALLLLLLLLLL!!!

Zimbabwe 1 Bafana 1

Having said that, Zimbabwe equalise! Theie front runners show skill and turn Bafana defenders, ending with Tawanda Maswanhise, the forward from Motherwell in Scotland, skipping past one, turning Mbekezeli Mbokazi inside out and finishing past Williams. Excellent individual effort.

15min - Bafana mostly in control in the opening 15min. Some good shots at Arubi’s goal.

Ronwen yet to be tested in SA goal, through sometimes Zim’s runners of course look penetrative.

7min - GOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLL!!!!!

Zimbabwe 0 Bafana 1

Tshepang Moremi’s shot takes a big deflection and loops in over stranded Arubi, stuck on the ground.

A nice build-up finds the Orlando Pirates winger on the right whose strike deflects off Divine Lunga.

6min - Oswin Appollis gets in a low shot just inside the left upright that Arubi stops well.

1min - Sipho Mbule ghosts onto the edge of the box and shoots low and inches wide of Wahington Arubi’s right upright.

6.01pm - 1min - That’s the first whistle. We have kickoff!

5.55pm - there are the anthems.

5.35pm - Here is Zim.

This team coached by Romanian Marian Marinică, will give Bafana a tough time.

To look out for, defender Munashe Garananga plays for FC Copenhagen in Denmark and South Africans know Mamelodi Sundowns’ classy attacking left-back Divine Lunga well.

Star midfielder Tawanda Chirewa plays for Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League and captain Marvelous Nakamba turns out for Luton Town in England’s League One.

Forward Bill Antonio turns for Mechelen in Belgium.

They ran Egypt close in their opener, Mohamed Salah’s 91st-minute winner separating the teams, then drew against Angola.

It could be another tight match-up today.

Zimbabwe: Washington Arubi, Munashe Garananga, Gerald Takwara, Brendan Galloway, Divine Lunga, Marvelous Nkamba, Jonah Fabisch, Daniel Msendami, Bill Antonio, Prince Dube, Tawanda Maswanhise

5.31 pm - The starting XIs are out.

Broos brings back Sipho Mbule in his only change, for Thalente Mbatha. Mahlatse Mphahlele story here.

To me, it looks more like a 4-4-1-1 than the 4-3-3 for the starting team against Egypt. Mbule more of an attacker tucking behind Lyle Foster than Mbatha, who was an attack-minded midfielder in a three with Teboho Mokoena and Sphephelo Sithole agains the Pharaohs.

Tshepang Moremi then slightly deeper right and left midfielders than wingers, though against Zim they will get forward and look to pin their dangerous wingers back. Fullbacks Khuliso Mudau and Aubrey Modiba will look to get up too.

More on Zimbabwe to follow ....

Bafana starting XI: Ronwen Williams; Khuliso Mudau, Aubrey Modiba, Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Siyabonga Ngezana; Tshepang Moremi, Sphephelo Sithole, Teboho Mokoena, Oswin Appollis; Sipho Mbule; Lyle Foster

Substitutes: Sipho Chaine, Ricardo Goss, Samukele Kabini, Nkosinathi Sibisi, Thabang Matuludi, Tylon Smith, Khulumani Ndamane, Bathusi Aubaas, Thalente Mbatha, Mohau Nkota, Elias Mokwana, Relebohile Mofokeng, Evidence Makgopa, Shandre Campbell

3.52pm - ... and now we wait. Just over 2hrs to kickoff (6pm) - starting line-ups will be out at about 5pm ...

3.49pm - Here is some of the video content sent by Mahlatse Mphahlele from Morocco as post-mortems to the Egypt defeat and build-up to today’s game:

3.45pm - Here is some of Mahlatse Mphahlele’s Afcon coverage from the last four days, since Bafana’s loss against Egypt:

• Mahlatse’s daily Afcon talking point: Broos has selection poser for Bafana-Zim clash
• Crunch time for Bafana as they take on Zimbabwe for Afcon knockout place
• Ivory Coast and Cameroon share the spoils in Afcon clash of the heavyweights
• Broos defends Mudau as Bafana prepare to take on Zimbabwe
• Bafana coach Broos not feeling typical Afcon vibe in Morocco
• After impressing at Afcon, Broos reiterates the US is not the right destination for Mbokazi
• Mbokazi calls for calm heads as Bafana prepare for must-win game against Zimbabwe
• Furious Bafana coach Broos confident they will qualify for the knockout stage
• Bafana lose against Egypt, need a win against Zim

3.42pm - Mahatse Mphahlele has been sending his (almost) Daily Afcon Talking Points in video form.

His latest today is quite pressing:

Mahlatse’s daily Afcon talking point: Broos has selection poser for Bafana-Zim clash

3.30pm - This is another potential nailbiter, Ladies and Gents! Another huge clash. Plenty more butterflies.

One way or another Bafana’s last 16 and knockout stage progress fate at this Afcon will be decided in this game.

A win or draw will see Bafana through. A defeat will sees the South Africans out.

How that works:

Egypt are set to win Group B with six or nine points. Bafana have four, Zimbabwe and Angola one apiece going into Monday’s last round. Egypt meet Angola in Rabat in the concurrent match to Zim-Bafana in Marrakesh.

If Bafana win, they go to an unassailable six points. If Egypt win they will go to nine and win the group. If the Pharaohs lose and end level on six points with Bafana, they lead the group on the Confederation of African Football’s (Caf) preferred head-to-head ruling because they beat South Africa 1-0 in Agadir on Friday in the match-up marked by contentious refereeing decisions.

If Bafana draw that is enough too. Zimbabwe will end on two points and Bafana four. Even if Angola beat Egypt to go level with SA on four points, on head-to-head, Bafana go through because they beat Palancas Negras 2-1 in their opener.

To relive the Blow-by-Blow Live Updates in Bafana Bafana’s previous two Group B games, click on these links:

• December 26: Bafana 1 Angola 0
• December 29: Egypt 1 Bafana 0

3.20pm - Ladies and gents, it’s another huge game for Bafana Bafana at Afcon.

Your host of this LIVE BLOG for Bafana v Zimbabwe at Marrakesh Stadium is Marc Strydom.

I am not in Marrakesh, but rather providing the Live Updates from my living room in Melville, Johannesbug.

The hugely experienced and knowledgeable senior football reporter Mahlatse Mphahlele is in Morocco covering the 2025 Afcon for Arena Holdings. Catch his match report at just after 8pm.

First up, here are some match details:

• Venue: Marrakesh Stadium, Marrakesh, Morocco
• Kickoff: 5pm in Morocco, 6pm SA time
• Bafana world and Africa ranking: 61 and 11
• Zimbabwe world and Africa ranking: 129 and 36
• Stadium capacity: 45,240
• Stadium surface: Grass
• Match officials: Referee - Mustafa Kechchaf (Morocco)

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