South Africa 1:0 Ghana: Sipho Mbule's Goal Downs Black Galaxies in Pre AFCON Friendly
· YEN.com.gh News · Join- South Africa rounded off their preparations for the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with a hard-fought victory over Ghana
- A thunderous second-half strike from Sipho Mbule made the difference as Bafana Bafana edged past the Black Galaxies in Gauteng
- Ghanaian fans expressed mixed reactions after the defeat, with many acknowledging the organisation and sharpness of a Bafana side that looks well-prepared for the AFCON
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Sipho Mbule’s second-half effort settled a tense contest as South Africa recorded a slim victory over Ghana’s Black Galaxies in an international friendly played at the Dobsonville Stadium on December 16, 2025.
The result offered Bafana Bafana a timely lift ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), while Ghana’s home-based side walked away with lessons that could shape their next steps.
Source: Twitter
South Africa pips Ghana in pre-AFCON friendly
The opening stages unfolded at a measured pace, with neither team willing to take early risks. Ghana set up with discipline and structure, frustrating the hosts by closing spaces and slowing transitions.
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South Africa enjoyed greater possession but struggled to make progress against a well-organised defensive block. Midfield battles dominated proceedings, and clear chances were rare before the interval.
Ghana briefly threatened when Nations FC forward Emmanuel Annor, who received a fine for his bold religious message last season, created space with a clever dummy before sending a tame shot toward goal, which was comfortably handled by the South African goalkeeper.
Source: Twitter
Aside from that moment, both sides largely cancelled each other out, heading into the break level and evenly matched.
The tempo shifted after the restart as Hugo Broos’ men emerged with renewed urgency. Their increased intensity paid off in the 57th minute when Sipho Mbule seized control of a loose ball, surged through the middle, and unleashed a fierce strike from a distance, according to SuperSport.
The effort flew past Heart of Lions goalkeeper Lawrence Osei and into the net, giving the hosts a deserved lead.
Watch Mbule's goal:
That breakthrough sparked a response from the Black Galaxies. Coach Kassim Ocansey Mingle made changes 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 Jr struck the post, coming agonisingly close to restoring parity.
Watch Mensah Jr's effort:
Ghana continued to push forward with increased intent, but despite their spirited finish, clear openings remained limited as South Africa stayed composed at the back.
Fans react to Ghana's loss to Bafana
Following the final whistle, reactions among Ghanaian supporters were mixed. YEN.com.gh sampled opinions on X, reflecting a wide range of views.
@wys_1 wrote:
"Not a bad performance, but considering that all the South African players are also local based players, we could have done better."
@_Drederder added:
"Except for Prince Owusu, don't bring any of those guys up to the senior national team. They're a bunch of immature players who just aren't ready for the big stage. Total poor performance!"
@seth_sedem observed:
"They've been quite impressive, except for a goal."
@KwesiWhytez offered a blunt verdict:
"No one is making it into the Black Stars team."
For Ghana, the narrow loss provides useful insight ahead of the CHAN qualifiers.
South Africa, meanwhile, turn their attention to AFCON, which begins on December 21, per CAF Online.
Bafana Bafana, who are among a list of countries previously banned from the AFCON, open their campaign a day later against Angola, before facing Egypt on December 26 and concluding Group B action against Zimbabwe on December 29.
How to watch Bafana vs Ghana
In an earlier report, YEN.com.gh detailed how fans could watch the South Africa vs Ghana pre-AFCON friendly in Gauteng.
The match was broadcast on SABC 2 and streamed via SABC Plus, with many Ghanaian supporters following the action through the live stream.
Source: YEN.com.gh