Bafana Bafana will battle another opponent they have played and beaten recently when they take on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in the Afcon bronze medal match on Saturday.

Bafana Bafana will battle another opponent they have played and beaten recently when they take on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in the Afcon bronze medal match on Saturday.

Bafana beat the DRC 1-0 in a friendly match at Orlando Stadium in Soweto in September last year.

At the time of their previous meeting, both teams had already secured their place at the Afcon in Ivory Coast and used the friendly as preparations for the start of the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup that kicked off in November.

During the Afcon group stage, Bafana had another rematch against two teams—Morocco and Namibia—who they both defeated.

They were held to a goalless draw by Namibia in Orlando Stadium in September last year, three days before they welcomed the Democratic Republic of Congo and beat them at the Soweto venue.

At the Afcon, Bafana were in the same group as Namibia and crushed them 4-0 before beating Morocco 2-0 in the last 16 round.

This is why Bafana feel they may have the upper hand against the DRC.

Bafana and the Leopards will be determined to sign off in style at Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan after they were both beaten in the semifinals.

Bafana lost a penalty shootout 4-2 against Nigeria after a 1-1 draw with the Super Eagles, while the DRC were beaten 1-0 by the host county, Ivory Coast.

Since Bafana were crowned African champions in 1996, South Africa lost their status as one of the feared teams on the continent.

On the other hand, the Democratic Republic of Congo were one of the early powerhouses on the continent in the 1960s and 1970s.

They won their first Afcon title in 1968 and then again, as Zaire, in 1974, the year they became the first sub-Saharan African side to play at the World Cup.