Marian Marinica: Zimbabwe Coach Shares Honest Assessment of Bafana Bafana Ahead of AFCON Clash
- Zimbabwe head coach Marian Marinica has shared his honest opinions about South Africa ahead of their last group fixture at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco
- Bafana Bafana and the Warriors need a win in the final fixture as they both aim to qualify for the Round of 16 stage of the competition, with a possible three spots up for grabs
- South Africa are rated as favourites to secure the second position spot in Group B, but they need at least a point in their last group game against the Warriors on Monday, December 29, 2025
Zimbabwe coach Marian Marinică acknowledges that Bafana Bafana might feel the sting of their defeat to Egypt, but he doesn’t expect it to affect their performance in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Group B showdown on Monday, December 29, 2025.
With a victory guaranteeing progression to the AFCON round of 16 for either team, the match promises an intense COSAFA clash, although Egypt has already secured qualification after winning both of their opening games.
With South Africa needing only to steer clear of a loss, the onus is on the Warriors, who recently derailed South Africa’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying hopes by securing a draw at Moses Mabhida Stadium just a few months ago.
Marinica on Zimbabwe facing Bafana Bafana
Marinica, during the post-match interview, was honest about his evaluation of Bafana Bafana, claiming he can't suggest what's going through the minds of the team.
“It’s hard to say exactly what’s going through their minds. They likely face certain mental challenges, which are part of the game. We experienced something similar against Egypt when we felt a VAR penalty should have been awarded,” Marinică explained.
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“Our players and staff are professionals who don’t dwell on past results. Each match is a fresh challenge. Rivalries can sometimes be exaggerated, but everyone is focused on winning fairly. Both sides will give their all on the field.”
“We aim to win, which is part of the excitement of football. We can’t let external opinions dominate our focus. At the end of the day, it’s a game, not a conflict, and we hope to perform at our best to come out on top.”
Reflecting on Bafana’s difficulty against Egypt’s back-three formation with wing-backs, Marinică added that they won’t necessarily adopt the same tactics.
“Every team has to adapt to its own strengths. Egypt believed that formation suited them, but we will choose the approach that works best for our squad,” he concluded.
Zimbabwe are still without a win in their first two fixtures after losing narrowly against Egypt in the first match, then playing out a 1-1 draw against Angola in their second group game.
Mudau: What to fix ahead of Zimbabwe's clash
Briefly News also reported that Khuliso Mudau shared what Bafana Bafana need to fix ahead of their last group game fixture against Zimbabwe.
The Mamelodi Sundowns right back is looking forward to making the second round at the ongoing AFCON 2025 in Morocco.
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Source: Briefly News
