Ime Okon and Samukele Kabini were on target as South Africa edged Guinea 2-1 at Orlando Stadium to make a winning start to their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign.
Bafana Bafana got their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign off to a positive start with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Guinea at the Orlando Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
South Africa took the lead in the 30th minute when defender Ime Okon found the back of the net, sending the passionate home crowd into celebration.
Bafana had chances to extend their advantage but failed to put the game beyond Guinea. The visitors eventually punished their hosts in the 68th minute when Seydouba Cisse equalised, setting up a tense final period.
Guinea continued to pose a threat and impressed with their attacking play, earning the respect of Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane.
“We have to give respect to Guinea. It will be a very interesting game when they play in Kenya. This is a quality team,” said Mosimane.
Bafana eventually found the breakthrough they needed in the 77th minute, with Samukele Kabini scoring the decisive goal to secure all three points for South Africa.
Guinea coach Paulo Duarte was gracious in defeat and praised Bafana’s quality, describing South Africa as one of the top three teams on the continent alongside Morocco and Senegal.
Following the victory, Bafana Bafana travelled to OR Tambo International Airport as they began their journey to Egypt for their next assignment.
South Africa will face Eritrea at the Al-Salam Stadium in Cairo on Wednesday, 30 September 2026, before concluding their trip with an international friendly against Egypt at Cairo International Stadium on 4 October.
With three points already secured, Bafana will now look to build on their winning start and maintain their momentum in the race for AFCON 2027 qualification.
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