Who: South Africa vs Cameroon
What: CAF 2025 Africa Cup of Nations
Where: Al Barid Stadium, Rabat, Morocco
When: Sunday, January 4, 8pm (19:00 GMT)
How to follow: We will have all the buildup on Al Jazeera Sport from 16:00 GMT in advance of our text commentary stream.
A crunch encounter awaits in arguably the tie of the round in the last 16 at the 2025 CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) between South Africa and Cameroon.
The showdown at the compact Al Medina Stadium in Rabat has the makings of a fascinating contest between a Bafana Bafana side building towards the World Cup and a Cameroon team that entered the AFCON in disarray.
Cameroonian football federation president and Indomitable Lions legend Samuel Eto’o sacked national team coach Marc Brys just weeks before the competition started, replacing him with David Pagou.
His opposite number on Sunday, Hugo Broos, led Cameroon to an unlikely 2017 AFCON title
Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at the mouth-watering match-up.
How did South Africa reach the 2025 AFCON last 16?
South Africa’s 2-1 victory against near neighbours Angola was the first time they opened an AFCON with a win in 21 years.
Oswin Appollis had given South Africa the lead, but Show had Angola level by the break, before Lyle Foster netted the winner from outside the box.
Mohamed Salah led 10-man Egypt to a 1-0 win against South Africa in the second group stage match, and in doing so, he secured the Pharaohs’ place in the next round.
The Liverpool player converted a penalty on 45 minutes, but South Africa were denied a spot kick late in the second half, when Yasser Ibrahim appeared to handle the ball inside the box.
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The crunch game came against another neighbouring country for Bafana Bafana as Appollis scored a penalty in the final 10 minutes to hand South Africa a 3-2 victory over Zimbabwe.
South Africa finished with six points in the group, one behind winners Egypt.
How did Cameroon reach the 2025 AFCON last 16?
Cameroon opened with a 1-0 win against Gabon as Karl Etta Eyong, assisted by Bryan Mbeumo, settled the game with his sixth-minute strike.
A point was rescued against defending champions Ivory Coast in their second match after Amad Diallo gave the Ivorians the lead in the 51st minute, only for Ghislain Konan to put through his own net five minutes later – Konan had laid on the assist for Diallo only moments earlier.
Cameroon again had to come from behind in their final group stage match against Mozambique, with a thunderbolt from Christian Kofane delivering a 2-1 victory.
Ivory Coast and Cameroon finished level on seven points, and both had a plus-two goal difference. The Ivorians topped the table because they scored five goals to Cameroon’s four.
Who will South Africa or Sudan face in the AFCON 2025 quarterfinals?
The winner will face the victor of the match between the hosts, Morocco, and Tanzania in Rabat on January 9.
Who are South Africa’s key players?
Foster is the main man for Bafana Bafana, and has already netted one crucial goal with his late winner in his side’s opening match against Angola.
Sipho Mbule has been given a role of greater-than-expected responsibility at the tournament, starting high up the park, along with Foster, in an attack-minded setup.
At the other end of the pitch, Ronwen Williams remains a pillar of strength in South Africa’s goal.
Who are Cameroon’s key players?
With seven goals across all competitions, Bryan Mbeumo headed into the tournament as Manchester United’s standout performer in an otherwise mixed and chaotic season for the Red Devils.
An injury kept Mbeumo out of the previous AFCON, but this time, the 26-year-old has a golden opportunity to clinch his first trophy with Cameroon.
Carlos Baleba arrived at AFCON without any major-tournament experience, but the 21-year-old has already produced performances that belie his age.
Have South Africa ever won an AFCON?
South Africa have won the tournament only once, when they were the hosts in 1996. Bafana Bafana were also finalists in 1998, while they were the bronze medallists at the last AFCON.
Have Cameroon ever won an AFCON?
Cameroon lifted two out of three AFCONs between 1982-1986, beating Nigeria in both finals. The 1984 title went to Egypt, with the Indomitable Lions the defeated finalists.
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Back-to-back titles were secured in 2000 and 2002, while a further defeat to Egypt came in the 2008 final, before Cameroon lifted their fifth and last title in 2017.
When did South Africa and Cameroon last meet?
The last encounter between the sides ended in a 0-0 draw in a qualifier for the 2016 ACFON.
The match was played in South Africa, while the reverse qualifier in Cameroon ended in a 2-2 draw.
The sides have drawn their last three encounters.
Have South Africa and Cameroon ever played at an AFCON finals before?
The only meeting between the teams at an AFCON event was in the 1996 edition, hosted and won by South Africa.
Bafana Bafana, making their debut at the tournament, were 3-0 winners in the group stage encounter, which was also the opening game of that edition.
When did South Africa first meet Cameroon?
The first match between the sides was of particular note, given it was South Africa’s first match after apartheid ended.
Bafana Bafana claimed a 1-0 win in the match on July 7, 1992, which was played in Durban.
It was the first of a three-game series between the sides, which saw South Africa claim two wins to Cameroon’s one.
This is the 10th meeting with the draw being the overall winner in previous encounters, accounting for five of the results between the African giants.
Bafana Bafana have claimed victory on three occasions, however, leading Cameroon with just one win in matches between the sides.
South Africa team news
Broos confirmed that Sphephelo Sithole’s omission against Zimbabwe was a tactical decision and not injury-related.
Relebohile Mofokeng and Bathusi Aubaas are both battling for a place.
South Africa predicted starting lineup
Williams, Mudau, Modiba, Mbokazi, Ngezana, Mokoena, Aubaas, Mbule, Mofokeng, Appollis, Foster
Cameroon team news
Captain Nouhou Tolo was forced off with a hamstring injury against Mozambique. He was replaced in defence by Christopher Wooh, who will be on standby once more, should Tolo fail to recover.
Mbeumo and Baleba were both removed at half-time in that game so as to avoid bookings that would have led to suspensions for this match.
Cameroon predicted starting lineup
Epassy, Tolo, Kotto, Malone, Yongwa, Baleba, Namaso, Tchamadeu, Ebong, Mbeumo, Kofane