By Kwame Bediako
South Africa’s Bafana Bafana claimed a hard-earned 1-0 win against Ghana’s Black Galaxies in a competitive international friendly at Dobsonville Stadium on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, sharpening their edge just before the Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025. The encounter doubled as a testing ground for Ghana’s domestic squad, honing skills against elite opposition ahead of CHAN qualifiers.
Bafana Bafana bossed the midfield from kickoff, holding 66% possession and peppering Ghana’s goal area, yet the first half ended scoreless as the visitors’ resolute defense snuffed out early threats. South Africa ramped up the pressure post-interval, relentlessly probing for breakthroughs against a Black Galaxies unit fielded entirely from home leagues due to the non-FIFA window.
Midfielder Sipho Mbule broke the deadlock in the second half with a clinical strike, capitalizing on sustained home dominance to hand Hugo Broos’ men a vital clean-sheet victory. This sole warm-up match injects real momentum into South Africa’s final AFCON preparations, validating their high-pressing system under the Belgian tactician.
Ghana countered sporadically with sharp breaks, generating moments of promise but faltering against Bafana Bafana’s stubborn backline. Coach Kassim Mingle Ocansey praised the “invaluable test” against a top-tier side, pinpointing attacking refinement as the key takeaway for his squad’s looming CHAN campaign.
Both teams depart with purpose: South Africa fortified for Morocco’s spotlight, and the Black Galaxies battle-hardened for domestic redemption. The narrow scoreline belies a gritty affair that promises fireworks when these nations meet in earnest.
