FIFA World Cup Qualifying - CAF

South Africa vs Zimbabwe, 2026 World Cup Qualifying - CAF, Group Stage

· FIFA World Cup Qualifying - CAF
  • 1': Iqraam Rayners
  • 55': Thapelo Morena
  • 76': Thapelo Morena
FT
3 - 1
  • 2': Tawanda Chirewa

About

South Africa are hosting Zimbabwe at Free State Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein, South Africa, starting on . The match is a part of the FIFA World Cup Qualifying - CAF.

Match Timeline

  • 0': Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
  • 0': First Half begins.
  • 1': Goal! South Africa 1, Zimbabwe 0. Iqraam Rayners (South Africa) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner.
  • 2': Goal! South Africa 1, Zimbabwe 1. Tawanda Chirewa (Zimbabwe) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Marshall Munetsi.
  • 5': Attempt saved. Elias Mokwana (South Africa) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner by Godfrey Chitsumba (Zimbabwe). Assisted by Iqraam Rayners.
  • 8': Foul by Teboho Mokoena (South Africa).
  • 8': Richard Hachiro (Zimbabwe) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 9': Attempt blocked. Iqraam Rayners (South Africa) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Oswin Appollis.
  • 9': Attempt blocked. Teboho Mokoena (South Africa) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Aubrey Modiba.
  • 10': Douglas Mapfumo (Zimbabwe) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 10': Foul by Teboho Mokoena (South Africa).
  • 12': Corner, South Africa. Conceded by Munashe Garan'anga.
  • 13': Corner, South Africa. Conceded by Godknows Murwira.
  • 14': Foul by Andy Rinomhota (Zimbabwe).
  • 14': Themba Zwane (South Africa) wins a free kick on the right wing.
  • 15': Attempt blocked. Walter Musona (Zimbabwe) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Tawanda Chirewa.
  • 16': Attempt blocked. Oswin Appollis (South Africa) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Themba Zwane.
  • 16': Attempt blocked. Khuliso Mudau (South Africa) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
  • 19': Attempt saved. Oswin Appollis (South Africa) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal by Godfrey Chitsumba (Zimbabwe). Assisted by Iqraam Rayners.
  • 19': Aubrey Modiba (South Africa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 19': Foul by Marshall Munetsi (Zimbabwe).
  • 23': Attempt missed. Iqraam Rayners (South Africa) right footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Oswin Appollis with a cross.
  • 31': Foul by Andy Rinomhota (Zimbabwe).
  • 31': Yaya Sithole (South Africa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 32': Foul by Oswin Appollis (South Africa).
  • 32': Godknows Murwira (Zimbabwe) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 34': Foul by Walter Musona (Zimbabwe).
  • 34': Yaya Sithole (South Africa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 35': Attempt blocked. Oswin Appollis (South Africa) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Themba Zwane.
  • 36': Attempt saved. Tawanda Chirewa (Zimbabwe) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner by Ronwen Williams (South Africa). Assisted by Walter Musona.
  • 36': Corner, Zimbabwe. Conceded by Ronwen Williams.
  • 37': Foul by Godknows Murwira (Zimbabwe).
  • 37': Oswin Appollis (South Africa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 37': Offside, South Africa. Elias Mokwana is caught offside.
  • 40': Attempt blocked. Teboho Mokoena (South Africa) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Elias Mokwana.
  • 40': Attempt blocked. Teboho Mokoena (South Africa) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Elias Mokwana.
  • 40': Corner, South Africa. Conceded by Munashe Garan'anga.
  • 40': Attempt missed. Mothobi Mvala (South Africa) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Teboho Mokoena with a cross following a corner.
  • 42': Attempt saved. Iqraam Rayners (South Africa) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal by Godfrey Chitsumba (Zimbabwe). Assisted by Teboho Mokoena.
  • 42': Corner, South Africa. Conceded by Godfrey Chitsumba.
  • 43': Attempt saved. Iqraam Rayners (South Africa) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner by Godfrey Chitsumba (Zimbabwe). Assisted by Oswin Appollis with a cross.
  • 43': Corner, South Africa. Conceded by Godfrey Chitsumba.
  • 43': Corner, South Africa. Conceded by Andy Rinomhota.
  • 44': Divine Lunga (Zimbabwe) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 44': Foul by Yaya Sithole (South Africa).
  • 45': Attempt missed. Tawanda Chirewa (Zimbabwe) right footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Divine Lunga.
  • 45': Foul by Gerald Takwara (Zimbabwe).
  • 45': Iqraam Rayners (South Africa) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
  • 45': Fourth official has announced 1 minutes of added time.
  • 45'+2': Attempt missed. Aubrey Modiba (South Africa) left footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high from a direct free kick.
  • 45'+2': First Half ends, South Africa 1, Zimbabwe 1.
  • 45': Second Half begins South Africa 1, Zimbabwe 1.
  • 45': Substitution, South Africa. Thapelo Morena replaces Elias Mokwana.
  • 45': Substitution, Zimbabwe. Daniel Msendami replaces Douglas Mapfumo.
  • 46': Daniel Msendami (Zimbabwe) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
  • 46': Foul by Khuliso Mudau (South Africa).
  • 48': Attempt saved. Walter Musona (Zimbabwe) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal by Ronwen Williams (South Africa).
  • 48': Foul by Daniel Msendami (Zimbabwe).
  • 48': Ronwen Williams (South Africa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 49': Offside, Zimbabwe. Tawanda Chirewa is caught offside.
  • 50': Attempt blocked. Iqraam Rayners (South Africa) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Yaya Sithole.
  • 51': Attempt missed. Thapelo Morena (South Africa) left footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Themba Zwane.
  • 51': Andy Rinomhota (Zimbabwe) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 51': Foul by Teboho Mokoena (South Africa).
  • 52': Teboho Mokoena (South Africa) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
  • 53': Attempt blocked. Khuliso Mudau (South Africa) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Thapelo Morena.
  • 53': Offside, South Africa. Iqraam Rayners is caught offside.
  • 55': Goal! South Africa 2, Zimbabwe 1. Thapelo Morena (South Africa) left footed shot from very close range to the high centre of the goal.
  • 56': Offside, South Africa. Iqraam Rayners is caught offside.
  • 60': Foul by Oswin Appollis (South Africa).
  • 60': Marshall Munetsi (Zimbabwe) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 60': Delay in match because of an injury Marshall Munetsi (Zimbabwe).
  • 61': Delay over. They are ready to continue.
  • 63': Corner, South Africa. Conceded by Gerald Takwara.
  • 63': Attempt missed. Yaya Sithole (South Africa) right footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right following a corner.
  • 65': Attempt blocked. Oswin Appollis (South Africa) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Iqraam Rayners.
  • 65': Attempt blocked. Teboho Mokoena (South Africa) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Iqraam Rayners.
  • 65': Corner, South Africa. Conceded by Gerald Takwara.
  • 66': Corner, South Africa. Conceded by Gerald Takwara.
  • 66': Attempt blocked. Teboho Mokoena (South Africa) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
  • 66': Corner, South Africa. Conceded by Tawanda Chirewa.
  • 67': Attempt blocked. Siyabonga Ngezana (South Africa) header from very close range is blocked. Assisted by Oswin Appollis with a cross.
  • 67': Corner, South Africa. Conceded by Gerald Takwara.
  • 68': Corner, South Africa. Conceded by Munashe Garan'anga.
  • 71': Foul by Daniel Msendami (Zimbabwe).
  • 71': Khuliso Mudau (South Africa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 72': Corner, Zimbabwe. Conceded by Khuliso Mudau.
  • 73': Foul by Daniel Msendami (Zimbabwe).
  • 73': Oswin Appollis (South Africa) wins a free kick on the left wing.
  • 74': Divine Lunga (Zimbabwe) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 74': Foul by Yaya Sithole (South Africa).
  • 75': Foul by Themba Zwane (South Africa).
  • 75': Richard Hachiro (Zimbabwe) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 76': Goal! South Africa 3, Zimbabwe 1. Thapelo Morena (South Africa) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Oswin Appollis with a through ball following a fast break.
  • 78': Attempt missed. Marshall Munetsi (Zimbabwe) left footed shot from the left side of the box is too high. Assisted by Tawanda Chirewa.
  • 80': Delay in match (South Africa).
  • 81': Delay over. They are ready to continue.
  • 83': Attempt saved. Oswin Appollis (South Africa) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal by Godfrey Chitsumba (Zimbabwe).
  • 84': Foul by Marshall Munetsi (Zimbabwe).
  • 84': Ronwen Williams (South Africa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 84': Delay in match because of an injury Ronwen Williams (South Africa).
  • 86': Delay over. They are ready to continue.
  • 90': Fourth official has announced 3 minutes of added time.
  • 90'+1': Substitution, Zimbabwe. Tymon Machope replaces Walter Musona.
  • 90'+1': Substitution, Zimbabwe. Jordan Zemura replaces Andy Rinomhota.
  • 90'+2': Substitution, Zimbabwe. Tawanda Maswanhise replaces Tawanda Chirewa.
  • 90'+3': Substitution, South Africa. Relebohile Mofokeng replaces Oswin Appollis.
  • 90'+3': Divine Lunga (Zimbabwe) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 90'+3': Foul by Themba Zwane (South Africa).
  • 90'+4': Second Half ends, South Africa 3, Zimbabwe 1.
  • 0': Match ends, South Africa 3, Zimbabwe 1.

Game Information

Competition: FIFA World Cup Qualifying - CAF

Venue: Free State Toyota Stadium
Location: Bloemfontein, South Africa

WCQ - CAF Table

# TEAM GP GD PTS
1 South Africa 10 +6 18
2 Nigeria 10 +7 17
3 Benin 10 +1 17
4 Lesotho 10 -3 12
Full Table

Line-Ups

RSA South Africa (4-2-3-1)

No. Name
1 Ronwen Williams (GK)
14 Mothobi Mvala
21 Siyabonga Ngezana
6 Aubrey Modiba
20 Khuliso Mudau
11 Themba Zwane
4 Teboho Mokoena Yellow Card
13 Yaya Sithole
5 Iqraam Rayners
7 Oswin Appollis
17 Elias Mokwana

ZIM Zimbabwe (5-3-2)

No. Name
22 Godfrey Chitsumba (GK)
4 Munashe Garananga
2 Gerald Takwara
14 Godknows Murwira
5 Divine Lunga
18 Walter Tatenda Musona
10 Andy Rinomhota
23 Richard Hachiro
8 Marshall Munetsi
9 Douglas Mapfumo
20 Tawanda Chirewa

WCQ - CAF News

Can Tunisia cause an upset in Group F?
Can Tunisia cause an upset in Group F?

Ed Dove discusses Tunisia's chances of progression from Group F as they face tough opponents Japan, The Netherlands and a UEFA play off winner.

Do South Africa have reasons to be optimistic after World Cup draw?
Do South Africa have reasons to be optimistic after World Cup draw?

ESPN South Africa correspondent Leonard Solm discusses South Africa's chances of going further then they have before at the World Cup.

Could Morocco beat Brazil in Group C at the World Cup?
Could Morocco beat Brazil in Group C at the World Cup?

Sam Ogunleye and Ed Dove discuss the strength of Morocco's squad as well as the potential to defeat group favourites Brazil.

Could Mo Salah fire Egypt to World Cup success?
Could Mo Salah fire Egypt to World Cup success?

Ed Dove discusses the influence Mo Salah could have on Egypt's World Cup ambitions as they are drawn against Belgium, Iran and New Zealand.

FIFA World Cup draw - Best and worst-case scenarios for Africa's qualifiers
FIFA World Cup draw - Best and worst-case scenarios for Africa's qualifiers

Africa's nine World Cup qualifiers, as well as tournament hopefuls DR Congo, will learn the identities of their group-stage opponents during Friday's draw at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC.