Bafana defend proud record against Mozambique

Bafana Bafana go into Thursday’s friendly international against Mozambique with an unbeaten record against The Mambas in their eight meetings since 1995.

Coach Hugo Broos’ side will be expected to maintain that at the Mbombela Stadium, a venue where the sides have clashed before. Here is a list of the previous meetings between the teams.

SOUTH AFRICA 3-2 MOZAMBIQUE

30 September, 1995 – Friendly international

Bafana Bafana’s first ever clash with Mozambique was a friendly just months before the start of the 1066 Africa Cup of Nations. And coach Victor Bondarenko’s side certainly gave their hosts a scare as Bafana had to rally from behind to win. Cachela and Arnaldo had put The Mambas in a commanding position, but second half goals from Brendan Augustine, Daniel Mudau and Doctor Khumalo sealed victory in the end.

MOZAMBIQUE 0-3 SOUTH AFRICA

29 April, 2001 – COSAFA Cup

It would be six years before the teams met again and this time Bafana cruised to victory in a Cosafa Cup first round clash played in Maputo. Pollen Ndlanya, Nkosinathi Nhleko and Clement Mazibuko grabbed the goals for a second-string South Africa under stand-in coach Shakes Mashaba, who led the team in the place of Carlos Queiroz.

SOUTH AFRICA 2-0 MOZAMBIQUE

13 January, 2008 – Friendly international

This clash was played at the Chatsworth Stadium in Durban and was part of South Africa’s build-up to the World Cup in 2010 under coach Carlos Alberto Parreira. It took until the second half for Bafana to make the breakthrough though as Sibusiso Zuma and Lerato Chabangu were on target.

SOUTH AFRICA 2-0 MOZAMBIQUE

11 September, 2012 – Friendly international

A clash played at the same venue as Thursday’s game, the Mbombela stadium, and Bafana were easy winners as Bernard Parker scored both early and late on to seal a comfortable victory for coach Gordon Igesund.

SOUTH AFRICA 3-1 MOZAMBIQUE

11 January, 2014 – African Nations Championship Group A

A competitive clash between two locally-based teams at the African Nations Championship finals that was won by Bafana, though ultimately they would not get out of this pool. Parker was again the menace for Mozambique as he netted a brace, one from the penalty-spot, with Hlompho Kekana grabbing the other.

MOZAMBIQUE 1-1 SOUTH AFRICA

15 November, 2016 – Friendly international

Just a second ever visit to Maputo for Bafana as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Mozambique in this friendly international. Clesio put the home side in front in the first half, but Bradley Grobler equalised in the second in a game in which the visitors were led by caretaker coach Owen da Gama.

SOUTH AFRICA 3-0 MOZAMBIQUE

16 July, 2021 – COSAFA Cup

This semifinal clash at the Cosafa Cup was a one-sided affair in Gqeberha as Bafana steamrollered their opponents and cruised to an easy win on their way to the title. Njabulo Ngcobo put them in front with a header, before Yusuf Marat scored a world-class goal and Victor Letsoalo added a third from the penalty-spot.

SOUTH AFRICA 0-0 MOZAMBIQUE

13 July, 2022 - COSAFA Cup

The teams met again in the Cosafa Cup, this time the quarterfinals, and the fixture ended in a tame 0-0 draw. Bafana fielded in essence a ‘C’ team with Helman Mkhalele in charge and lost the resultant penalty shoot-out 5-4. The result still goes into the history books as a draw.