South Africa are up against Angola for the third time in their opening game at the Africa Cup of Nations finals, with the previous two clashes both finishing in draws. Catch all the action LIVE on SuperSport.
The two countries get Group B action underway in Marrakech on Monday, on the second day of the 2025 edition in Morocco.
Previously, the two countries kicked off their campaigns at the 1998 finals in Burkina Faso and then played a first game again in Ghana in 2008 against each other.
In Bobo Dioulasso, the game ended goalless but is best remembered for the quick thinking of coach Jomo Sono avoided a complete disaster when Benni McCarthy looked to pick up a second yellow card in quick succession in a tempestuous encounter.
But before the referee could get round to dismissing the young striker, and condemning him to a two-match ban, Sono whisked him off on a stretcher and substituted him, allowing McCarthy to go on and end up as joint top scorer at the tournament in Burkina Faso.
South Africa went all the way to the final of that tournament despite the poor start against Angola.
In Ghana in 2008, they played against each other again in their first game of the tournament.
The game in Tamale saw Palancas Negras almost win, leading from the 30th minute through their striker Manucho, who would be signed by Manchester United during the tournament. Carlos Alberto Parreira’s side equalised two minutes from time through Elrio van Heerden, although they ended last in the group with two points from their three games and went home early.
---- NIGERIA ONLY ----
At their last three Cup of Nations appearances, Bafana have lost their first group game, which is not a good omen for Monday’s match in Marrakech.
In 2015, Algeria beat them 3-1 in Mongomo, Equatorial Guinea, after Thabo Phala had put Bafana ahead.
In 2017, Jonathan Kodjia from English club Aston Villa scored the only goal at a near-empty Al Salam Stadium in Cairo to mark a poor start for Bafana as they lost to Ivory Coast.
And two years ago, two goals in six minutes saw Mali post a deserved victory over South Africa in Korhogo. Bafana did come back and went on to post their best performance since 2000, taking home the bronze medal with several dollops of good fortune along the way.
🚨MATCH DAY🚨
— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) December 22, 2025
2025 Africa Cup of Nations
⚽️ South Africa 🇿🇦 v 🇦🇴 Angola
🗓 22 December 2025
⏰️ 19h00 (SA)
🏟 Grand Stade de Marrakech#BafanaPride@10bet_ZA @CastleLagerSA @SABC_Sport @HonourAfrica @Shield_ZA pic.twitter.com/1TCmzwyHVx