Can Broos lead Bafana past his former, and title-winning, team?

In the AFCON 2025 round of 16, South Africa will face a stern test from an unpredictable Cameroon, a team head coach Hugo Broos knows well since he led them to the title in 2017.

Bafana Bafana made it through to the last 16 with mixed performances in wins over Angola and Zimbabwe and defeat to Egypt. Now, in Rabat, they will need to up their game drastically.

They may now have a different set of players to the one Broos had at his disposal, but this Cameroon side has shown during the current AFCON that they have the same propensity for both the brilliant and the bizarre that when was in charge.

The Belgian head coach is revered in South Africa for turning Bafana Bafana into AFCON contenders after inheriting a team that had failed to qualify for the tournament four years ago. However, this tournament has exposed cracks which still remain within the camp.

Broos' brash style which has won him many admirers in South Africa backfired when he talked himself into controversy over his comments regarding Mbekezeli Mbokazi's late arrival to pre-AFCON training camp and move to Chicago Fire.

During the tournament itself, Broos has cut a frustrated figure as he has repeatedly warned his side to sharpen their concentration and decision-making or face elimination.

"I have to agree that I'm not really happy with the performance or the way some players are acting on the pitch. That is true. Again, that is something we have to work on," Broos told reporters after the 3-2 win over Zimbabwe in Marrakesh, which clinched progression to the last 16.

"We have to know that the progression we made in the last two or three years is not a guarantee that you come on the pitch and you win the game. I said it already before the tournament: it will be tougher for us than the tournament two years ago (where Bafana finished third in Ivory Coast).

"Now, everybody knows what a good team we are and the mindset of the opponent is totally different. Yes, we have to adapt to that, knowing that it will not be easy anymore. We will have to play every game at 100% of our talents and our qualities. If we don't do that with the right mentality, we will always be in trouble."

Responding to ESPN in the mixed zone, midfielder Teboho Mokoena admitted that the expectations from South Africa contribute to an overall different experience in Morocco, compared to Ivory Coast two years ago.

Mokoena said: "Now that we've been winning as a team, people have expectations on the team. They expect us to win every game we play.

"The previous AFCON, they thought we would be back in the group stages. Now, it's a different story. They want us to go through to the finals."

Key details:

Date: Sunday, Jan. 4 at 21:00 CAT (20:00 Moroccan time, 19:00 GMT)

Venue: Agdal Medina Stadium, Rabat

How to watch: The match is scheduled to be televised on SuperSport and SABC 2 in South Africa. In the UK, Channel 4 holds the AFCON broadcast rights.

Team news

One area worth watching closely is Bafana Bafana's midfield. Broos expressed dissatisfaction that a trio of Thalente Mbatha, Teboho Mokoena and Bathusi Aubaas was overrun in the first half in the 1-0 loss to Egypt in Agadir.

The Belgian mentor replaced Mbatha in the starting lineup with the more offensive Sipho Mbule against Zimbabwe, but still singled out Sphephelo 'Yaya' Sithole for criticism after the game.

Bathusi Aubaas was well down the pecking order heading into the AFCON. However, after impressing Broos with his performance off the bench against the Warriors, he has put himself in contention for a potential starting berth.

Expected lineups

South Africa

GK Ronwen Williams

LB Aubrey Modiba | CB Mbekezeli Mbokazi | CB Siyabonga Ngezana | RB Khuliso Mudau

CM Bathusi Aubaas | CM Teboho Mokoena

LW Oswin Appollis | AM Sipho Mbule | RW Tshepang Moremi

ST Lyle Foster

Cameroon

GK Devis Epassy

LWB Darlin Yongwa | CB Nouhou Tolo | CB Samuel Kotto | CB Che Malone | RWB Junior Tchamadeu

CM Carlos Baleba | CM Arthur Avom

AM Danny Namaso | AM Bryan Mbeumo

ST Christian Kofane

Stats:

Only two players at AFCON 2025 registered 2 goals and 2 assists from the group stage: South Africa's Lyle Foster and Nigeria's Ademola Lookman.

Among all six teams who finished second in their respective groups, only Tunisia (5 goals conceded) had a leakier defence than South Africa (4 goals conceded).

Only Egypt (7 AFCON titles) have won more than Cameroon's 5.