Mbule Strike Edges Bafana Past Black Galaxies in Soweto Friendly
South Africa claimed a narrow 1-0 win over Ghana’s Black Galaxies in an international friendly played at the Dobsonville Stadium on Tuesday evening, rounding off their final on-field preparations ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The encounter served different purposes for the two sides. While Bafana Bafana used the match to fine-tune their systems before travelling to Morocco for AFCON, the Black Galaxies viewed the contest as a key assessment ahead of their upcoming CHAN qualifying campaign.
After a cagey opening half in which South Africa enjoyed the lion’s share of possession without finding a breakthrough, the hosts eventually made their dominance count after the interval. Midfielder Sipho Mbule delivered the decisive moment, finding the net in the second half to settle the contest.
Under the guidance of Hugo Broos, the victory provided a timely confidence boost for South Africa, with the friendly marking their final official tune-up before AFCON action begins.
Ghana, fielding a squad made up entirely of home-based players due to the match falling outside the FIFA international window, had moments of promise going forward but lacked the cutting edge needed to breach the South African defence.
Despite the result, Black Galaxies head coach Kassim Mingle Ocansey welcomed the experience, viewing the fixture as a valuable test against strong opposition as his team continues preparations for competitive assignments ahead.
