Fungai Muderere, [email protected]
SOUTH Africa assistant coach Helman Mkhalele has revealed that his team needed to avoid drawn in the same group as Zimbabwe at the 2025 Afcon.
Bafana Bafana were placed in Group B together with the Warriors, Angola and Egypt.
The draw ceremony was held in Rabat, Morocco on Monday evening.
Speaking to SABC Sport before the draw, Mkhalele said: “If I had to be asked which team I wouldn’t want to see drawn with South Africa is Zimbabwe and maybe Nigeria and Benin.
“This is because we’re in the same group in the World Cup Qualifiers,” said Makhalele.
After South Africa and Zimbabwe were drawn together in the 2025 Afcon Group B, the Bafana Bafana gaffer added:
“I’m not surprised that we were drawn with Zimbabwe, but our reaction is that it is a tough group because we know each other well and also for the fact that all the teams in the pool have improved.
“We will try to pick up from where we left in the last edition.”
South Africa finished as a second runner-up after winning the 3rd/4th playoffs at the 2023 Afcon edition. — @FungaiMuderere