Bafana Bafana have made a perfect start to their TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations PAMOJA 2027 qualifying campaign, collecting maximum points from their opening two Group D matches.
South Africa followed their hard-fought 2-1 victory over Guinea at Orlando Stadium with an emphatic 5-0 win against Eritrea at the Al Salam Stadium in Cairo on Wednesday, 30 September.
The six points have placed Bafana Bafana at the top of Group D after two rounds and given Pitso Mosimane a strong foundation at the beginning of his latest spell as head coach.
However, despite the impressive start, South Africa still have work to do before a place at the 2027 AFCON finals is secured.
Six points and top spot
South Africa currently lead Group D with six points from two matches, having scored seven goals and conceded just one.
Guinea sit second on three points after recovering from their opening defeat to Bafana by beating Kenya 1-0 in Conakry on Thursday.
Kenya and Eritrea have one point each.
The Group D situation is slightly different from most AFCON qualifying groups because Kenya are one of the three co-hosts of the 2027 tournament, alongside Tanzania and Uganda.
Kenya are therefore already guaranteed a place at the finals. As a result, South Africa, Guinea and Eritrea are effectively competing for the remaining qualifying position from the group.
That makes Bafana’s six-point start particularly important.
Mofokeng leads the way against Eritrea
The standout performer in Bafana Bafana’s latest victory was Relebohile Mofokeng.
The young attacker scored twice in the first half to put South Africa firmly in control before Sphephelo Sithole, Iqraam Rayners and substitute Luther Singh added further goals after the break.
Mofokeng’s performance provided another positive moment for a South African side that has increasingly been looking towards a new generation of attacking talent.
CAF confirmed that Mofokeng’s brace helped South Africa secure their second consecutive qualifying victory, while Oswin Appollis also played an important creative role in the five-goal victory.
For Bafana, the biggest benefit was not simply the number of goals scored, but the manner in which they controlled the contest after taking an early advantage.
A strong start under Pitso Mosimane
Mosimane returned to the Bafana Bafana job ahead of the qualifiers, replacing Hugo Broos.
His third spell in charge began with a demanding opening fixture against Guinea, where South Africa secured a 2-1 victory through goals from Ime Okon and Samukele Kabini.
Kabini’s late winner proved decisive after Guinea had responded to South Africa’s opening goal.
The victory was followed by an entirely different type of performance against Eritrea.
Instead of relying on a narrow margin, Bafana produced an attacking display that saw them score five times and keep a clean sheet.
That combination of results has given Mosimane valuable momentum as he continues to shape his squad.
Why the six points matter
The six-point haul gives South Africa an important advantage in a group where only one non-host team can qualify.
Bafana have already defeated Guinea, one of their main competitors for the qualifying position, and have also collected three points against Eritrea.
Guinea’s 1-0 victory over Kenya on Thursday moved them to three points, meaning South Africa currently have a three-point advantage over their closest qualifying rival.
The goal difference also gives Bafana another positive statistic.
South Africa have scored seven goals and conceded only once across their opening two matches.
However, the campaign is still at an early stage. Four qualifying matches remain, meaning the current table cannot be treated as a final indication of who will qualify.
What comes next for Bafana Bafana?
South Africa’s next competitive assignment will come during the next AFCON qualifying window in November.
The remaining fixtures include two meetings with Kenya, followed by an away fixture against Guinea and a final group match against Eritrea.
The matches against Guinea could prove particularly important because Guinea are currently South Africa’s closest competitor for the qualifying position.
Bafana will also need to avoid dropping unnecessary points against Eritrea and Kenya if they want to maintain their advantage.
The bigger picture
AFCON PAMOJA 2027 will be hosted jointly by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from 19 June to 17 July 2027.
The tournament will mark the first time that three countries jointly host the Africa Cup of Nations.
For South Africa, qualification would provide another opportunity to compete against the continent’s leading national teams after Bafana’s recent appearances on the major international stage.
The immediate objective, however, is straightforward: maintain their position at the top of Group D and finish the qualifying campaign as the highest-placed non-host nation.
Bafana Bafana have made their statement
Two matches into the campaign, South Africa could hardly have asked for a better start.
A 2-1 victory over Guinea was followed by a convincing 5-0 win against Eritrea, giving Bafana six points, seven goals and considerable momentum.
Mofokeng’s emergence as a match-winner has added another exciting dimension, while Mosimane has begun his return with two victories.
But the job is not finished.
With Guinea now on three points and four matches still to play, South Africa must maintain their concentration when qualifying resumes in November.
For now, though, Bafana Bafana are exactly where they want to be: top of Group D, unbeaten and in control of their own qualification campaign.
