Kassim Mingle hails South Africa as 2025 AFCON title contenders after Black Galaxies friendly loss

Ghana coach Kassim Mingle praised South Africa as strong contenders for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations following their 1-0 win over his Black Galaxies.

Bafana Bafana secured the narrow victory in a tightly contested friendly at Dobsonville Stadium on Tuesday, December 16, 2025. The match served as a key warm-up for both sides ahead of AFCON.

The only goal came in the second half from midfielder Sipho Mbule. South Africa dominated possession but struggled to convert control into clear chances in the first half.

"We were expecting a higher performance from them, but we neutralized all the tactics they were using. We watched their clips and were able to block the way they play and the crosses to the wings," Mingle said.

"So today, they couldn’t do much. Their goal was a gifted goal. The midfielder made a mistake, and they took the ball from him. I think it was a good game.

"The Bafana Bafana is a very strong team. I’m sure they are one of the contenders for the AFCON. The way they play shows they are one of the contenders for AFCON. I think they can do even better at the tournament."

The win provides the hosts a crucial boost as they finalise preparations for AFCON in Morocco.

Ghana’s Black Galaxies, composed of home-based players since the friendly fell outside the FIFA international window, used the match to prepare for upcoming CHAN qualifiers.

The game offered Mingle’s young squad valuable experience against a strong team, highlighting areas for improvement before competitive fixtures.