EXCLUSIVE: COSAFA Cup-winning Angola coach explains why Bafana Bafana are 'favourites' against Palancas Negras and backs Hugo Broos' side to 'reach AFCON final'

On Wednesday night, Hugo Broos' men left for Morocco to compete with 24 teams for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) crown.   

South Africa are in Group B of the biennial competition alongside Egypt, who are among the favourites having initially won the title seven times, Angola and Zimbabwe.

The first game for Bafana Bafana will be on Monday against Palancas Negras before tackling the Pharaohs four days later. The final pool outing will be with the Warriors on December 29th.

In the 2023 edition in the Ivory Coast, South Africa defied the odds to win bronze, explaining why they have been tipped to push for their second title in the country's history.

Young Africans coach Pedro Goncalves has shared his thoughts on the match between his former team, Angola, and South Africa.

Broos has some top players in his team who have played in the competition before. Captain Ronwen Williams has massive experience when it comes to African football, alongside Teboho Mokoena, Bathusi Aubaas, and the other Mamelodi Sundowns players.

Burnley forward Lyle Foster is expected to lead the attack alongside the likes of Oswin Appollis, Mohau Nkota, Relebohile Mofokeng, and Elias Mokwana, who have been doing relatively well.

However, Goncalves doesn't believe Bafana Bafana will rely on individual brilliance to get results.

"The South African team is generally very strong. The collective has stood out since Hugo Broos arrived, and the attack deserves a special mention, as it will give Angola a lot of work," he said in his exclusive interview with GOAL.  

 "It wouldn’t make sense to highlight just two or three players. 

"South Africa’s strength lies in the team as a whole. They are the favourites in this game, but they will need to pay attention to Angola’s collective organization and its individual talents," Goncalves, who led Angola to the 2024 and 2025 COSAFA glory, added.

Goncalves has further tipped Bafana Bafana to go all the way, but also believes the likes of Egypt, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Morocco, and Nigeria, among others, will also stage a strong opposition. 

"[South Africa] can definitely reach the final. In the last edition, they came very close and continue to be a respected team among the main contenders for victory," the 49-year-old added.

"Their first big challenge will be to get past a very competitive group stage with strong opponents. 

"If they focus on one game at a time, they will significantly increase their chances of reaching the final," Goncalves further clarified.
"In Africa, there is a high level of balance, with several teams capable of becoming champions.  

"However, I highlight Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and Nigeria as the main favorites, while also noting that teams like Angola, South Africa, DR Congo, Tunisia, Cameroon, and Mali are in a group of teams with the sporting quality to contend for the title," he concluded.

In his previous interviews, Broos has underlined the importance of beating Angola in the first match.

“You know, I saw Angola playing in the [2026 FIFA World Cup] qualifiers. They played at home and lost the game 1-0 [against Libya on September 4, 2025]. If they played that game 10 times, they would win it nine times," the veteran tactician said in a presser.

"So, they are a good team, and you can be sure about that. They have some good players and are very tactical.    

"Now, with the new coach, he is always giving something extra, and the players always want to prove themselves. So, that means we will have a tough opponent next week on Monday," he added.

"But on the other side, I believe in my team. I also believe in what my team has already done in the past.

"We have beaten better opponents than that [Angola]. So, that means we don’t have to be afraid and should be confident in ourselves, but they will not give us presents because we will have to play at our highest level, and winning against them is enough. 

"We don’t have to think about 2-0 or 3-0, but any win will be a better result for us," Broos concluded.