South Africa’s Bafana Bafana secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Ghana’s home-based Black Stars, also known as the Black Galaxies, in an international friendly played at Dobsonville Stadium in Soweto on Tuesday, December 16, 2025.
The match served as South Africa’s final warm-up ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament in Morocco, which is scheduled to kick off on December 21, 2025.
The game’s decisive moment came in the 57th minute when Orlando Pirates midfielder Sipho Mbule scored the only goal.
After the Ghanaian side lost possession in midfield, Mbule capitalized on the turnover, driving forward and unleashing a powerful long-range strike from outside the box that flew into the bottom corner, beating Heart of Lions goalkeeper Lawrence Osei and leaving him with no chance.
South Africa, coached by Hugo Broos, dominated much of the possession and created several opportunities, particularly after halftime substitutions that injected more energy into their attack.
Despite the pressure, they managed only one goal, while Ghana threatened on the counter, hitting the woodwork late in the game and forcing substitute goalkeeper Sipho Chaine into key saves.
For Ghana’s Black Galaxies, a team composed primarily of domestic league players preparing for upcoming African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifiers, the fixture fell outside the FIFA international window, limiting them to home-based talent.
Despite the defeat, head coach Kasim Mingle, who had only been in charge for a short training camp of about three weeks, expressed satisfaction with his players’ efforts. He described the loss as a case of hard luck, praising the young squad’s performance and organization against a strong opponent.
The win provided Bafana Bafana with valuable momentum and a morale boost as they head to Morocco, where they are grouped with Angola, Egypt, and Zimbabwe in Group B.