South Africa will start another bid to qualify for the World Cup when they host Benin in the opening match of their 2026 preliminaries campaign in Durban on Saturday.
Here we go! Come show your love and support! We need you!!!!! #WCQ #BafanaPride https://t.co/p9npmzBuc3 pic.twitter.com/a3RlbB4Hr4
— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) November 14, 2023
It is a tricky start for Hugo Broos’ side as they look to qualify for the global finals for the first time in over 20 years – not withstanding their appearance as hosts in 2010.
We pick five of their best displays in World Cup qualifiers over the last 30 years.
ZAIRE 1 SOUTH AFRICA 2
When it comes to the 1998 qualification campaign, everybody remembers Phil Masinga’s rocket shot at home to Congo that took Bafana to France, but there were some vital matches before that which paved the way.
Bafana had made an iffy start when they drew in Zambia and then lost 2-0 in Congo, handing the initiative to the latter.
They needed a result in their away clash with Zaire (now DR Congo) on April 27, 1997, a game that was played in neutral Togo due to the civil war in their hosts’ country.
It would be a bruising battle in which Doctor Khumalo gave Bafana the lead, only for young Zaire midfielder Zico Tumba to equalise shortly afterwards.
It took guts and nerves of steel, but Masinga grabbed a winner for Clive Barker’s side and they were able to hold on for a precious victory.
SOUTH AFRICA 3 ZAMBIA 0
Just six weeks later Bafana welcomed Zambia to Soccer City for their next game and once more they needed a big performance.
In between this match and the win in Zaire they had been to England and lost 2-1 at Old Trafford, and also lost a friendly against Netherlands 2-0 in Johannesburg.
That second game was significant as the debut of teenager Benni McCarthy in national team colours, though he was not involved for the game against Zambia.
Chipolopolo had a formidable team too with the likes of Kalusha Bwalya and Dennis Lota, but Bafana brushed them aside in an unusually one-sided contest against one of their great rivals.
Helman Mkhalele had Bafana up early and it was 2-0 inside 16 minutes when Masinga grabbed a goal. The points were safe late on when Mark Williams added a third after coming off the bench to replace Shaun Bartlett.
SOUTH AFRICA 4 EQUATORIAL GUINEA 1
South Africa had qualified for the 2010 World Cup as hosts but entered the preliminaries anyway as they doubled up for the qualifiers for the Africa Cup of Nations that same year.
These were difficult times for the national side, with Brazilian coach Joel Santana in charge, arguably the least effective of their tacticians down the years as he kept the seat warm for Carlos Alberto Parreira.
They needed something to lift the mood and that came in a thumping 4-1 success over Equatorial Guinea in June 2008.
They were 2-0 up in the first half thanks to goals from Kagisho Dikgacoi and Surprise Moriri, and added two more in the second period via Terror Fanteni and another from Dikgacoi.
It was the kind of dominant display the country was hoping for, but it didn’t last – they lost the next game a week later 1-0 in Sierra Leone and followed that up with a 0-0 draw against the latter seven days after that.
ANGOLA 1 SOUTH AFRICA 3
South Africa started their qualification campaign for Russia 2018 with a two-legged tie against tricky Angola, a team they would expect to beat but by no means pushovers and World Cup finalists themselves in 2006.
They had Shakes Mashaba at the helm, a coach with little tactical acumen, but someone who the players enjoyed working with and was more motivational speaker than coach.
The first game was away in Luanda, where it was generally considered a draw would be a good result and allow Bafana to hammer home their advantage in the second leg.
That was doubly so when the side fell behind after just two minutes to a Gelson goal, but the experienced line-up quicky turned the tables.
Tokelo Rantie used his pace to equalise, before Thamsanqa Gabuza put Bafana 2-1 ahead on 20 minutes.
The game was still in the balance until Andile Jali slotted a penalty 10 minutes from fulltime to make the second leg a mere formality. Indeed, Bafana won that game in Durban 1-0.
ETHIOPIA 1 SOUTH AFRICA 3
Ethiopia are no world-beaters, but this was a superb away win for South Africa in the 2022 qualifiers given the circumstances.
Their young squad under Hugo Broos was made to jump through hoops just to get into the country with arduous travel, and then sent to the outpost of Bahir Dar.
They have played on some tough pitches down the years, but this one will rank right up there with the worst, with the stadium condemned shortly afterwards by CAF and no longer used for internationals.
Bafana weathered a storm in the first half before taking the lead thanks to a superb Teboho Mokoena strike just before the break, though the home goalkeeper was complicit.
Former BidVest Wits striker Getaneh Kebede equalised for Ethiopia from a free-kick, but four minutes later Mothobi Mvala put Bafana back in front and Evidence Makgopa sealed the points with a late third.
Not the best opposition, but all things considered a mighty win.