Who: South Africa vs Cameroon
Content: CAF 2025 Africa Cup of Nations
Location: Al Balid Stadium, Rabat, Morocco
When: Sunday, January 4th, 8pm (19:00 GMT)
How to follow: All content will be broadcast on Al Jazeera Sports from 16:00 GMT, ahead of the text commentary stream.
A big showdown awaits between South Africa and Cameroon in the 2025 CAF African Cup of Nations (AFCON), possibly in a last-16 tie.
The showdown at Rabat’s compact Al Medina Stadium looks like a fascinating match between a Bafana Bafana side who are building towards the World Cup and a Cameroon side that entered AFCON in disarray.
Cameroon Football Federation president and Indomitable Lions legend Samuel Eto’o sacked national team coach Mark Bliss and replaced him with David Pagou a few weeks before the start of the tournament.
His opposite number on Sunday, Hugo Bruce, led Cameroon to an unlikely 2017 AFCON title
Al Jazeera Sports presents this tantalizing matchup.
How did South Africa reach the last 16 of AFCON in 2025?
South Africa defeated neighboring Angola 2-1, marking the first time in 21 years that they had won an African tournament.
A goal from Oswin Apolis gave South Africa the lead, but a goal from Shaw saw Angola equalize by the end of the first half, before Lyle Foster scored the winning goal from outside the box.
Mohamed Salah led 10-man Egypt to a 1-0 victory against South Africa in the second group stage match, securing the Pharaohs’ place in the next round.
Liverpool players converted a penalty in the 45th minute, but South Africa were denied a spot-kick late in the second half when Yasser Ibrahim appeared to dispose of the ball inside the box.
The key match for Bafana Bafana was against another of their neighbors, with Apolis converting a penalty in the final 10 minutes to give South Africa a 3-2 victory over Zimbabwe.
South Africa finished the group with six points, one point behind winners Egypt.
How did Cameroon reach the 2025 AFCON last 16?
Cameroon opened the game with a 1-0 victory over Gabon, with a goal scored by Carl Etta Eyon in the 6th minute, assisted by Brian Mbeumo.
In the second leg against defending champions Ivory Coast, Amad Diallo gave Ivory Coast the lead in the 51st minute to take a point, but Ghislain Konan found his own net five minutes later. Conan had assisted Diallo moments earlier.
Cameroon faced Mozambique in their final match of the group stage, where they once again had to come from behind, winning 2-1 thanks to Cristian Cofane’s lightning strike.
Ivory Coast and Cameroon are tied on seven points, and both have a goal difference of plus two. The Ivorians took the lead with five goals to Cameroon’s four.
Who will face South Africa or Sudan in the AFCON 2025 quarterfinals?
The winner will play the winner of the match between hosts Morocco and Tanzania on January 9 in Rabat.
Who are the key players in South Africa?
Foster is a key player for Bafana Bafana and has already scored one decisive goal, a late winner in the team’s opening game against Angola.
Sipho Mbule was given a more responsible role than expected in this tournament, starting high up the park in an attack-oriented set-up alongside Foster.
At the other end of the pitch, Ronwen Williams remains the backbone of South Africa’s goal.
Who are the key players in Cameroon?
Brian Mbeumo went into the tournament as Manchester United’s standout performer in what has been a chaotic season for the Red Devils, scoring seven goals in all competitions.
Mbeumo missed the last AFCON due to injury, but this time the 26-year-old has a great chance to win his first trophy for Cameroon.
Carlos Baleva came into AFCON with no experience in major tournaments, but the 21-year-old is already putting in performances that belie his age.
Has South Africa ever won AFCON?
South Africa has only won this tournament once, in 1996 when they were the hosts. Bafana Bafana were also finalists in 1998 and were bronze medalists at the last AFCON.
Has Cameroon ever won AFCON?
Cameroon won two of the three AFCONs from 1982 to 1986, defeating Nigeria in both finals. The 1984 title went to Egypt, and the Indomitable Lions were the losing finalists.
They won back-to-back titles in 2000 and 2002, but lost again to Egypt in the 2008 final, before Cameroon won their fifth and final title in 2017.
When was the last time South Africa and Cameroon met?
The last meeting between the two teams ended in a 0-0 draw in the 2016 ACFON Qualifiers.
The match was held in South Africa, with reverse qualifiers Cameroon ending in a 2-2 draw.
The two teams have tied in their last three meetings.
Have South Africa and Cameroon ever met in an AFCON final?
The only meeting between the two teams in an AFCON event was in 1996, which was hosted and won by South Africa.
Bafana Bafana, playing in the tournament for the first time, won 3-0 in the group stage match, which was also the opening game of the tournament.
When did South Africa first meet Cameroon?
The first match between the two teams received particular attention as it was South Africa’s first match after the end of apartheid.
Bafana Bafana won 1-0 in the match played in Durban on 7 July 1992.
This was the first of three consecutive matches between the two teams, with South Africa winning two and Cameroon winning one.
direct confrontation
This is the 10th meeting between them, with a draw being the overall winner in the previous meetings, making up five of the results between the African giants.
Bafana Bafana have won three times, but lead Cameroon with just one win in games between the two teams.
South Africa team news
The Bulls manager admitted that Sphephelo Sithole’s absence from the match against Zimbabwe was a tactical decision and not due to injury.
Lelebohile Mofokeng and Batusi Aubaas are both competing for spots.
South Africa’s projected starting lineup
Williams, Mudau, Modiba, Mbokazi, Gezana, Mokoena, Obers, Mbule, Mofokeng, Apolis, Foster.
Cameroon team news
Captain Noujo Toro suffered a hamstring injury in the match against Mozambique and was sent off. If Toro fails to recover, Christopher Wu is expected to return to play defense.
Mbeumo and Baleba were both sent off at half-time to avoid a caution that would have led to suspension for the game.
Cameroon’s projected starting lineup
Epathy, Toro, Kotto, Malone, Yonwa, Baleba, Namaso, Chamadu, Ebon, Mbeumo, Kofane.
