AFCON: What gives Bafana Bafana the upper hand over Cameroon

As the 2025 AFCON moves into the do-or-die knockout stages, Gabon head coach Thierry Mouyouma has added fuel to the fire ahead of Sunday’s heavyweight Round of 16 clash between Bafana Bafana and Cameroon.

While the Indomitable Lions carry the prestige of five continental titles, Mouyouma—who studied Cameroon closely during the group stages—suggests that Bafana Bafana’s structural stability will likely trump Cameroon’s raw “big game” temperament.

The Broos Factor: A House Built on Solid Ground

The narrative heading into the Al Medina Stadium in Rabat is steeped in irony. Bafana Bafana is led by Hugo Broos, the man who masterminded Cameroon’s 2017 AFCON triumph. According to Mouyouma, Broos’s four-year tenure has created a level of cohesion that Cameroon simply cannot match.

“Bafana Bafana is at an advantage because they know each other. The coach has been here for years. The Cameroonian coach just arrived,” Mouyouma noted during a press briefing.

In stark contrast, Cameroon arrived in Morocco engulfed in administrative volatility. With David Pagou taking over the hot seat just weeks before the AFCON tournament, the Gabonese tactician believes the Lions are playing on instinct rather than instruction.

“High Spirit vs. Tactical Spirit” At 2025 AFCON

Mouyouma, a former defender with deep roots in South African football through stints at Ajax Cape Town and Bidvest Wits, broke down the clash as a battle of philosophies:

Bafana Bafana (Tactical Spirit): A squad built on familiarity. With a core group playing together domestically and years of drilling under Broos, their “on-pitch communication” is their greatest asset.

Cameroon (High Spirit): A team reliant on psychological warfare. Mouyouma warns that Cameroon has a unique ability to “increase their mind” and elevate their performance through sheer willpower, regardless of their tactical shortcomings.

“The [Cameroon] coach doesn’t have the opportunity to show tactically what he is supposed to bring,” Mouyouma explained. “So, it’s going to be high spirit against tactical spirit.”

The Verdict: Familiarity Breeds Success

While Bafana enters the AFCON game as the more cohesive unit—looking to replicate or better their semi-final run from the previous edition—the danger lies in complacency.

Under the four-year guidance of Hugo Broos, Bafana Bafana relies heavily on tactical cohesion and the telepathic familiarity of a squad that has grown together over a full World Cup cycle. In opposition, Cameroon enters the fray with the disadvantage of a coaching tenure measured in weeks rather than years; however, the Indomitable Lions compensate for this lack of tactical preparation with their trademark physicality and a psychological resilience that allows them to thrive in high-pressure knockout environments.

Ultimately, Mouyouma’s assessment is clear: while Cameroon’s “Indomitable” aura is legendary, football matches in the modern era are won through systems. In the battle of Rabat, the Gabonese coach believes the system favours South Africa.