South Africa beat Ghana’s Black Galaxies 1 to 0 in an international friendly match at Dobsonville Stadium in Johannesburg on December 16, 2025 ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) which opens on December 21, 2025 in Morocco. Bafana Bafana midfielder Sipho Mbule broke the deadlock in the 56th minute with a clinical strike capitalizing on sustained home dominance to hand Hugo Broos’ men the only goal of the encounter.
South Africa dominated proceedings in the first half holding 66 percent possession but the Black Galaxies defended well against the high press to leave the game scoreless at halftime. The visitors set up with discipline and structure frustrating the hosts by closing spaces and slowing transitions. South Africa enjoyed greater possession but struggled to make progress against a well organised defensive block with midfield battles dominating proceedings and clear chances remaining rare before the interval.
The tempo shifted after the restart as Broos’ men emerged with renewed urgency. Their increased intensity paid off in the 56th minute when Mbule seized control of a loose ball, surged through the middle and unleashed a fierce strike from outside the area. The effort flew past Heart of Lions goalkeeper Lawrence Osei and into the net giving the hosts a deserved lead according to match reports.
That breakthrough sparked a response from the Black Galaxies. Coach Kassim Ocansey Mingle made changes including the introduction of Medeama midfielder Prince Owusu which added fresh energy to Ghana’s attack. The Galaxies began to press higher and take more risks searching for a way back into the contest. Their best opportunity arrived in the 77th minute when substitute Rudolf Mensah Junior struck the post coming agonisingly close to restoring parity.
The encounter doubled as a testing ground for Ghana’s domestic squad sharpening their skills against elite opposition ahead of African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifiers. Ghana fielded an entirely home based squad due to the match falling outside the FIFA international window making it a crucial preparation opportunity for players competing in Ghana’s domestic league. South Africa used the match to fine tune preparations for the continental tournament with the team departing for Morocco on December 18, 2025.
Broos made immediate changes at halftime introducing Sipho Chaine, Teboho Mokoena and Oswin Appollis in place of Ricardo Goss, Thalenthe Mbatha and Mohau Nkota. The substitutions injected greater urgency into Bafana Bafana’s play with Appollis particularly lively down the flank. Broos started Goss in goal while Thabang Matuludi, Bathusi Aubaas and Tshepang Moremi were handed rare opportunities from the first whistle against Ghana’s CHAN side.
Bafana Bafana began brightly and nearly struck inside the opening 10 minutes but Mbule’s glancing header drifted narrowly wide. Clear cut chances were scarce in a cagey first half. Nkota came closest late on with a free kick that sailed just over the Black Galaxies’ crossbar as both sides went into the break level. Ghana briefly threatened in the first half when Nations FC forward Emmanuel Annor created space with a clever dummy before sending a tame shot toward goal which was comfortably handled by the South African goalkeeper.
Mingle described the match as hard luck noting that Ghana should have equalized. The coach stated that with a new young team and only three weeks to prepare them they delivered this performance representing overall satisfaction despite the result. Ghana created the most shots on target and even hit the post once showing attacking intent despite failing to score according to the coach who praised his players’ effort.
The Black Galaxies responded with determination in the second half creating several clear cut chances and striking the woodwork twice. The South African goalkeeper made a crucial save to deny a goal bound effort preserving the clean sheet. Despite sustained pressure in the closing stages Ghana could not find an equaliser leaving the match 1 to 0 in favour of South Africa providing the hosts with a confidence boost ahead of AFCON.
South Africa comes into the 2025 AFCON tournament on the back of positive form remaining unbeaten in their last five games having won three and drawn two encounters. Bafana Bafana are placed in Group B alongside Zimbabwe, Angola and continental heavyweights Egypt. The team starts their tournament on Monday December 22, 2025 against Angola before taking on Egypt on December 26, 2025 and neighbours Zimbabwe on December 29, 2025.
It has been a difficult week for Bafana Bafana and South African football leading up to this training match. Mbekezeli Mbokazi arrived late for the AFCON camp at the High Performance Centre in Pretoria prompting Broos to express anger during a press conference last week. The 73 year old coach said things he later wished he had not uttered but days later Broos faced the music and apologised stating that his words were not the right ones admitting he never intended to make inappropriate comments noting his reaction came from genuine concern for a young player who needs guidance.
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations runs from December 21, 2025 through January 18, 2026 with 24 nations competing for the coveted continental prize in Morocco. The tournament represents Africa’s premier international football competition bringing together the continent’s best national teams. South Africa qualified for the tournament and will be looking to make an impact having used the Ghana friendly as their only official warm up before departure.
Ghana’s Black Galaxies will turn their attention to preparing for CHAN qualifiers following the friendly experience. The African Nations Championship is a biennial football tournament sanctioned by CAF featuring exclusively players competing in their respective national championships. The tournament provides a platform for home based players to showcase their talents at international level while strengthening domestic league quality across Africa.
Despite the loss Ghana can draw lessons and encouragement from their performance as they prepare for upcoming competitive fixtures. The team demonstrated defensive organisation in the first half and created genuine scoring opportunities in the second half suggesting the squad has potential despite limited preparation time. The experience of playing against a strong South African side preparing for AFCON provides valuable competitive exposure for Ghana’s home based players.
The result provides South Africa with a morale boosting victory over Ghana in a high profile international friendly that formed part of Bafana Bafana’s preparations for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. Both sides approached the match with intensity befitting their status on the continent using the occasion to assess combinations and tactical options ahead of major competitive assignments. South Africa’s defensive solidity underlined their readiness for the continental showpiece as they look ahead to Morocco.
The match attracted a healthy crowd at Dobsonville Stadium who witnessed a competitive encounter between two African football nations. The atmosphere reflected the significance both teams attached to the fixture with South Africa seeking confidence ahead of AFCON while Ghana tested their domestic talent against quality opposition. The fans’ support provided energy for both teams throughout the 90 minutes creating an engaging spectacle for those in attendance.
Looking ahead South Africa will focus on final preparations and travel arrangements before their opening Group B match against Angola. The coaching staff will analyse the Ghana friendly performance identifying areas for improvement while building on positive aspects demonstrated during the victory. Player fitness and tactical readiness will be paramount as Bafana Bafana aim to progress from a challenging group featuring established continental powers.
For Ghana the Black Galaxies coaching staff will review the friendly performance extracting lessons to improve the team ahead of CHAN qualifiers. The squad’s ability to compete against AFCON bound opposition provides confidence that Ghana’s domestic talent can succeed at international level when properly organised and prepared. Continued development of home based players remains crucial for Ghana’s football ecosystem strengthening the domestic league while providing talent pipeline for the senior national team.