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Bafana Bafana recorded a two-one win over Benin in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
This victory propelled South Africa to the top of the Group C standings, as the other four teams in the group shared points in their respective matches. Bafana Bafana’s next match is against Rwanda on Tuesday in Butare.
FT: Bafana Bafana 🇿🇦 2-1 🇧🇯Benin
3 points ✔️ #fifa2026worldcupqualifiers #BafanaPride
— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) November 18, 2023
South Africa began their 2026 qualifiers with the objective of leading Group C, as Lesotho held Nigeria to a one-all draw and Zimbabwe and Rwanda played to a goalless draw.
Bafana Bafana had an energetic start and quickly broke the deadlock just two minutes into the match. The goal was the result of well-executed build-up play by Hugo Broos’ side, with Percy Tau finding the target.After the strong start from the home team, Benin quickly settled in and South Africa’s momentum faded. Nevertheless, Bafana Bafana maintained control of the match and had a few opportunities to extend their lead.
With less than 20 minutes before the break, Tau had another close call.On the stroke of halftime, Bafana Bafana found the back of the net once again. Defender Khuliso Mudau positioned himself well to score his first goal for the national side, capitalising on a rebound after another impressive build-up play.
The second half started off at a slower pace, with Benin players determined to smother Bafana’s attacking efforts.
In the 67th minute, after a lapse in concentration from the visitors, Bafana came close to scoring again, but the attempt was cleared off the goal line.
In response, Benin scored a goal on a counterattack, with their captain Steve Mounie finding the back of the net in the 70th minute to reduce the deficit.The remaining 20 minutes of the match were evenly balanced, with Bafana Bafana holding on to secure an important victory.
