October 10, (THEWILL) — South Africa and Zimbabwe played out a goalless stalemate in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Friday evening.
The draw leaves Bafana Bafana locked in second in Group C, but now trailing leaders Benin by two points with just one fixture remaining.
Hugo Broos’s side must defeat Rwanda at home on Tuesday whilst hoping other results fall in their favour to claim automatic qualification for the tournament.
The hosts dominated proceedings throughout and fashioned the clearer opportunities against their Southern African opponents.
Goalkeeper Washington Arubi denied Sipho Mbule midway through the opening period before Mohau Nkota struck the outside of the post with a powerful effort two minutes before the interval.
South Africa’s frustration continued after the break when Lyle Foster saw his shot cleared off the line eight minutes into the second half.
Zimbabwe’s task grew considerably harder when captain Knowledge Musona received a second yellow card in the 62nd minute, leaving the Warriors to defend with 10 men for the remainder of the contest.
Despite their numerical advantage, Bafana Bafana could not find a breakthrough. Foster again came agonisingly close when his low drive beat Arubi but cannoned back off the woodwork, whilst Teboho Mokoena’s late attempt was kept out by the visiting keeper during added time.
The match concluded with both teams reduced to 10 players after Mbekezeli Mbokazi saw red in stoppage time.
The dismissal means the South African defender will be suspended for Tuesday’s crucial encounter against Rwanda in Mbombela.
Zimbabwe will complete their unsuccessful qualifying campaign when they face Lesotho on Monday, seeking to end the group stage with a victory over their regional neighbours.
Bafana Bafana’s inability to convert their chances proved costly in their pursuit of automatic World Cup qualification.
The Group C runners-up now face a winner-takes-all scenario in their final match, with their tournament hopes hanging in the balance.
Zimbabwe’s disappointing campaign sees them rock bottom in sixth position, having failed to mount a serious challenge for progression to the global finals.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
