Ghana’s coach delivers verdict on Bafana Bafana’s AFCON title hopes

As Bafana Bafana prepares to embark on their Moroccan odyssey, they do so with a glowing endorsement from one of the continent’s tactical minds. Ghana B head coach, Kassim Mingle Ocansey, has shared his thoughts on South Africa’s chances at the 2025 AFCON, labelling them a genuine threat to the African hierarchy.

The endorsement follows a tightly contested international friendly at Dobsonville Stadium on Tuesday, where Hugo Broos’ men secured a narrow 1-0 victory over the “Black Galaxies.” While the scoreline was modest, the impression left on Ocansey was significant.

The Broos Factor At AFCON

South Africa enters this tournament under the immense weight of history. It has been nearly three decades since the legendary “Class of ’96” lifted the trophy on home soil. However, in Hugo Broos, Bafana possesses a man who knows the roadmap to continental glory. Having guided an unfancied Cameroon side to the title in 2017 and led South Africa to a bronze medal in the previous edition, the Belgian tactician has built a squad defined by resilience and tactical discipline.

Speaking after the friendly, Ocansey offered his thoughts on why Bafana Bafana is a team to be feared at the 2025 AFCON. Despite his side’s efforts to frustrate the hosts, he admitted that South Africa’s technical depth is elite.

“Without taking anything from Bafana Bafana, they are a very good team,” Ocansey remarked. “Tactically, if you don’t strategise well, they will disgrace you. They are not a bad side at all. They are a very solid team, and I wish them all the luck.”

Ocansey noted that his primary goal in the friendly was to “block” South Africa’s creative channels—a mission his players executed well—but he believes this challenge provided Broos with the perfect “final exam” before the real test begins in North Africa.

The Road to AFCON-Morocco

We have left our camp at the High Performance Centre in Pretoria and our journey to Morocco is well underway. We will depart to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations host country tonight.#BafanaPride@10bet_ZA @CastleLagerSA @SABC_Sport @HonorAfrica @Shield_ZA pic.twitter.com/ZrBJZeBq2L

— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) December 17, 2025

The expectations on this squad are at an all-time high. Following their third-place finish in Ivory Coast, the mandate for Broos is clear: reach the final.

Bafana Bafana find themselves in a challenging Group B, where they will navigate a path through Angola, COSAFA rivals Zimbabwe, and the formidable seven-time champions, Egypt. Their campaign kicks off this coming Monday in Marrakech against the Palancas Negras of Angola.

For Ocansey, the verdict is settled. When asked where he places South Africa in the pecking order for the title, his thoughts were unequivocal:

“I rate Bafana Bafana as one of the contenders for AFCON. I have confidence in them that they are one of the contenders for the title.”

As the team departs for the North, they carry the hope of a nation—and the respect of their rivals—believing that 2025 might finally be the year the second AFCON star is added to the crest.