Bafana Bafana Thrash Eritrea 5-0 in Cairo to Claim Six Points in AFCON 2027 Qualifying
- Bafana Bafana recorded a dominant 5-0 victory over Eritrea in a 2027 AFCON qualifier at the Al-Salam Stadium in Cairo on Wednesday
- Relebohile Mofokeng scored twice in the first half, with Yaya Sithole, Iqraam Rayners and Luther Singh adding to the tally after the break
- Coach Pitso Mosimane praised his players after the win, while Bafana face Egypt in a friendly at the Cairo International Stadium on 4 October
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CAIRO — Bafana Bafana produced one of their most complete away performances in recent memory, defeating Eritrea 5-0 in a 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at the Al-Salam Stadium in Cairo, Egypt, on Wednesday, 30 September 2026.
Coach Pitso Mosimane's side gave away the opening minutes to the hosts before asserting their dominance. Relebohile Mofokeng broke the deadlock in the 19th minute and added a second in first-half stoppage time to put South Africa firmly in control heading into the break.
Bafana Bafana goals flow after the restart
The scoring continued in the second half with Yaya Sithole extending the lead in the 52nd minute. Iqraam Rayners made it four in the 62nd minute before substitute Luther Singh sealed the rout deep into added time.
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Goalkeeper Ronwen Williams also had an impressive outing, producing a string of outstanding saves to deny Eritrea and preserve the clean sheet as the hosts grew increasingly frustrated.
Mosimane credited the performance to both quality and character.
"It was a good performance from our boys and they showed respect also. They showed respect to the opponents but also played proper football. We are very happy," he said, according to SAFA.
SAFA President Dr Danny Jordaan singled out the technical team and players for praise, noting that the result gave Bafana a perfect six points from their opening two qualifying matches.
"Congratulations to HOD Molwantwa, coach Pitso, the players and technical team. You have picked up six points in your first two qualifiers, congratulations," Jordaan said.
Eritrea head coach Hesham Yaka acknowledged the gap in quality between the two sides.
"We faced a team that is classified as a top 5 team in Africa; it was difficult," he said, adding that his squad lacked experience against opposition of Bafana's calibre — a team that had recently returned from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Injury concerns mount for Pitso Mosimane
The win was not without setbacks. Defender Bathusi Aubaas was substituted off as early as the 16th minute due to injury, with Brooklyn Poggenpoel stepping in and impressing enough to earn a mention in Mosimane's post-match assessment.
Aubaas's withdrawal added to growing injury concerns after Teboho Mokoena and Aubrey Modiba were ruled out on the eve of the qualifier.
Bafana Bafana will remain in Egypt ahead of an international friendly against the host nation at the Cairo International Stadium on Sunday, 4 October 2026.
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Jomo Sono’s message to Bafana Bafana fans
Briefly News previously reported that Jomo Sono had expressed confidence in Bafana Bafana’s chances of reaching the 2027 AFCON finals before South Africa faced Eritrea in Cairo.
The South African football legend also addressed the intense scrutiny surrounding Pitso Mosimane and the national team, pointing to the huge number of supporters who closely follow every Bafana decision.
Sono’s prediction came true as Mosimane’s side produced a five-goal performance, leaving South Africa with six points from their opening two qualifiers.
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Source: Briefly News
