Zimbabwe vs South Africa: Bafana Bafana eye top spot in W/Cup qualifiers after penalty
South Africa’s national team Head Coach, Hugo Broos. Photo Credit- ESPN Africa
South Africa’s Bafana Bafana will aim to reclaim the top position in Group C of the CAF FIFA World Cup qualifiers when they host Zimbabwe at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Friday, October 10, 2025. Coach Hugo Broos’ side, which led the group with 17 points before a three-point deduction for fielding ineligible midfielder Teboho Mokoena in a March match against Lesotho, now sits level on 14 points with Benin Republic but trails on goal difference following the forfeit. The technically away fixture against Zimbabwe will be played on South African soil in Durban due to venue constraints in the neighboring country, providing Bafana with a crucial home advantage.
The deduction has complicated South Africa’s path to automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, but former SAFA CEO and CAS arbitrator Raymond Hack has indicated there is no realistic chance of overturning the penalty on appeal. Benin coach Gernot Rohr has acknowledged South Africa’s “crazy” edge in playing these regional games at home. With a final qualifier against Rwanda on October 14, Broos’ team must secure maximum points from the Zimbabwe clash to position themselves favorably for first place, while the four best runners-up across CAF’s nine groups will enter a knockout playoff for Africa’s inter-continental spot.
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Key absences from the Bafana squad include Orlando Pirates winger Kamogelo Sebelebele, despite his strong club form, and veteran striker Bradley Grobler of Sekhukhune United. Midfielder Sipho Mbule edges out Pirates teammate Patrick “Tito” Maswanganyi for a spot and is expected to play behind the striker, while defender Khuliso Mudau returns at right-back for Mamelodi Sundowns after resolving a club standoff. Sphephelo “Yaya” Sithole rejoins the midfield post-injury, but winger Relebohile Mofokeng is sidelined, with Kaizer Chiefs’ Mduduzi Shabalala stepping in. Forward Iqraam Rayners withdrew for medical reasons, replaced by Evidence Makgopa.
South Africa’s predicted lineup features goalkeeper Ronwen Williams in goal, with Aubrey Modiba at left-back, Siyabonga Ngezana and Mbekezeli Mbokazi in central defense, and Mudau on the right. The midfield will likely include Sithole and Mokoena, supporting wingers Oswin Appollis and Mohau Nkota, with Mbule in an advanced role feeding striker Lyle Foster. Zimbabwe, captained by Knowledge Musona, is expected to line up with Washington Arubi in goal, Jordan Zemura at left-back, Gerald Takwara and Munashe Garananga in the center, and Emmanuel Jalai at right-back. Midfield duties fall to Musona, Marvelous Nakamba, and Marshall Munetsi, with Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya on the left, Tawanda Chirewa up top, and Tawanda Maswanhise on the right.
Zimbabwe have not beaten Bafana since a 2013 friendly, with South Africa winning three and drawing one of the subsequent four encounters. Notably, Grobler and Rayners, joint-top scorers in the Betway Premiership with six goals each, are absent from the national setup. The match kicks off at 6:00 PM CAT (4:00 PM GMT) and will be broadcast on SuperSport and SABC.
