BAFANA Bafana coach Hugo Broos is not losing sleep over the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Group B clash against neighbours Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe’s senior men’s national team were drawn in the same pool as top seeds Egypt, South Africa and Angola in a draw for the final tournament which was conducted in Morocco on Monday.
Michael Nees’ men will start off the campaign with Egypt before playing Angola and rounding off with their neighbours.
While this has been described as the toughest draw, Broos believes his men have an edge over Zimbabwe and will not have any problems beating them again.
Speaking to South Africa Football Association media, the Belgian said he was satisfied with the draw.
“When I look at our opponents for Afcon, I think that Egypt is the favourite to win the group. They didn’t make a very good campaign last Afcon,” he said.
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“They [Egypt] were not, or they didn’t perform like everybody expected. They were soon out of the tournament.
“But I think in the last year, a year-and-a-half, they built again a very good team. They did very well in the qualifiers. So, that will be the team to beat for the first place.”
Having enjoyed a period of dominance over Zimbabwe in his time as coach of South Africa, Broos is expecting more of the same.
“Zimbabwe is a neighbour of South Africa, and it’s always a very difficult game for us,” the Belgian said.
“On the other side, in all the games we played already against Zimbabwe, we played one draw and we won three times.
“So, winning against Zimbabwe is very possible in an Afcon.”
The last time the two countries clashed was last year in a Group J 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifier, where South Africa won 2-1 in Bloemfontein.
They will clash again in the same competition this year.
“And then we have Angola. Angola is, for me, the team I don’t know, really, very good. So, it’ll be very important to do a good analysis of our opponent, Angola, and to be well prepared to play that game,” Broos said.
“So, in general, I think we can be satisfied.”
Former Angola star Fabrice Alcebiades Maieco, better known as “Akwa”, is looking at a three-horse race featuring Egypt, South Africa and Angola.
He acknowledged that Zimbabwe could be a surprise package.
“I think the group is complicated if we look at the history of two teams that have previously won the African championship title (Egypt and South Africa),” he remarked.
“The Angolan team is capable of performing well if it plays as a team, as we did in the previous Africa Cup of Nations and the qualifiers for this edition.”
He pointed out to his team’s strong showing at the last Afcon as well as finishing top in their group in the qualifiers as pointers to how good Angola are.
“Our team finished the Afcon qualifiers without defeat and came first in its group, which gives us confidence in competing to qualify for the next round,” Akwa said.
“I think the competition will be fierce between three teams: Egypt, South Africa and Angola.
“The Zimbabwean team may be the surprise of the group and may complicate things for the rest of the teams.
“I expect exciting matches in this group, and the opportunity will be available to everyone.”
Former Bafana Bafana captain Neil Tovey has predicted a tough campaign for all four teams in the group.
“It’s a very tough group. For our neighbours Zimbabwe, as you know, when neighbours are involved, they always perform very well,” he said.
“And also Angola, our neighbours as well, very close countries, and then Egypt, the perennial winners, who will have a lot of support because it’s in North Africa. So, it will be very tough.”
Meanwhile, former Warriors striker Alois Bunjira believes that Zimbabwe and South Africa will in the end occupy the top two places.
He told a South African football magazine that Zimbabwe have since improved from the last time the two teams clashed and expects a blockbuster when they meet at Afcon.