Zimbabwe vs South Africa prediction, H2H and probable lineups - December 29, 2025
On Monday, December 28, in the third round of the Africa Cup of Nations, Zimbabwe will face off against South Africa. For a closer look at the teams' form and a match prediction, read on below.
Match preview
Zimbabwe heads into this third-round clash with South Africa still in contention for a place in the round of 16. After two matches, the Warriors have earned a single point: in their opener, Zimbabwe narrowly lost to Egypt, conceding a late winner, though with a bit more luck they could have hoped for a better result. In the second round, the Warriors played out a 1-1 draw with Angola. To keep their knockout stage hopes alive, Zimbabwe must now defeat South Africa.
Zimbabwe last appeared in the Africa Cup of Nations in 2021, but finished bottom of a group containing Senegal, Guinea, and Malawi. Now, under the guidance of Belgian coach Mario Marinica, the team has a chance to improve on that record. Notably, Zimbabwe has never progressed from the group stage in the tournament's history. Their task is made even tougher by the absence of team leader Andy Rinomhota, who failed to recover in time and will miss the entire group stage.
South Africa finds itself in a more comfortable position. After two rounds, Bafana Bafana have three points thanks to a 2-1 victory over Angola in their opener. In the second match, the South Africans lost 0-1 to Egypt, though it could have gone differently: they played with a man advantage for the entire second half, and late in the game a controversial penalty incident went uncalled, sparking heated debates.
In the previous Africa Cup of Nations, South Africa reached the semifinals, where they lost to Nigeria, but went on to defeat DR Congo in a penalty shootout to claim third place. Still, that isn’t their greatest achievement: South Africa famously lifted the Africa Cup of Nations trophy on home soil in 1996.
Match facts and head-to-head
- Zimbabwe have conceded in five consecutive matches.
- Both teams have scored in four of Zimbabwe’s last five matches.
- South Africa have conceded in three matches in a row.
- South Africa scored first in five of their last seven matches.
- These teams have met eight times. South Africa have won four, four have ended in draws, and Zimbabwe have come out on top twice.
- This will be the first-ever Africa Cup of Nations meeting between these sides.
Probable lineups
- Zimbabwe: Arubi - Jalai, Takwara, Galloway, Lunga - Fabisch, Nakamba, Musona - Dube, Antonio, Bonne
- South Africa: Williams - Mudau, Ngezana, Mbokazi, Modiba - Sithole, Mokoena, Mbatha - Appolis, Moremi, Foster
Prediction
In my view, South Africa currently look the stronger side. The match is unlikely to be a walk in the park, but I have a strong sense that Bafana Bafana’s class and experience will make the difference. My prediction: a South Africa win—especially at the attractive odds on offer.
