Bafana Break the Curse, Madagascar Impress in Mangaung

South Africa finally shook off a long-standing hoodoo as they beat Zimbabwe 2–0 at the Toyota Stadium on Saturday, their first-ever COSAFA Cup victory over the Warriors — while Madagascar also opened their campaign with a win in an action-packed Day 4 of the 2025 HOLLYWOODBETS COSAFA Cup.

Bafana Bounce Back

Kabelo Dlamini calmly slotted home a first-half penalty before Ime Okon sealed the deal late in the second half with a towering header, giving South Africa three crucial points in Group A and reigniting their hopes of a semifinal spot.

It wasn’t a perfect performance from Bafana Bafana, who spurned several golden chances to widen the gap, but coach Helman Mkhalele will be more than satisfied with the result and the clean sheet.

“We needed a response after the loss to Mozambique, and the boys delivered,” said Mkhalele. “There’s still work to do, but we’re in it.”

Mozambique Held, Mauritius Still in the Mix

In the earlier Group A clash, Mozambique and Mauritius played to a goalless draw, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. The Mambas peppered the Mauritian goal with 13 shots, but just couldn’t find a way through. Mauritius, despite being on the back foot for much of the match, defended resolutely to earn their second consecutive 0–0 result of the tournament.

They’ll now face South Africa on Tuesday without defender Jean Pascal Colin, who was shown a second yellow late in the match. Still, the islanders are proving to be no pushovers in this tournament and remain in contention for a semifinal berth.

Group A Standings After Two Rounds:

Mozambique – 4 pts
South Africa – 3 pts
Mauritius – 2 pts
Zimbabwe – 1 pt

All four teams are still in with a chance ahead of the final round of fixtures.

Toky Fires Madagascar to the Top in Group C

In the final match of the day, Madagascar edged Tanzania 1–0 to take early control of Group C, a three-team pool that also includes Eswatini. The only goal came in the 29th minute from Toky Rakotondraibe, who buried a low strike after a well-worked move.

It was a disciplined and well-organised display from the Malagasy, who now have one foot in the semifinals. Tanzania, on the other hand, are under pressure — they must beat Eswatini in their next game and hope results fall their way to stay in the competition.

Sunday’s Showdowns: Group B Takes the Spotlight

Two vital clashes headline Sunday’s action as the Group B race heats up:

12h00 CAT | Angola vs Lesotho

Defending champions Angola face a must-win game against Lesotho after being held 1–1 by Namibia. Lesotho, buoyed by their 1–0 win over Malawi, know a second win could send the Palancas Negras packing. Angola have historically dominated this fixture with five wins in their previous eight COSAFA meetings.

15h00 CAT | Namibia vs Malawi

With both sides needing points, this could be a tense affair. Malawi cannot afford to drop more after their opening loss, while Namibia will want to build on the draw with Angola. The two nations have met six times in COSAFA history, with Namibia leading the head-to-head 3–1.

All matches will be streamed live on FIFA+, and fans can keep up with the action through the official HOLLYWOODBETS COSAFA Cup 2025 page.

Saturday’s Results – Toyota Stadium

Group A:

Mozambique 0–0 Mauritius

South Africa 2–0 Zimbabwe (Dlamini 1st half pen, Okon 2nd half header)

Group C:

Madagascar 1–0 Tanzania (Rakotondraibe 29’)

Sunday Fixtures – Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium