And with South Africa hosting the showpiece again, we take a trip down memory lane and look back at how Bafana Bafana beat the continent’s best to lift the trophy at Soccer City.
Bafana came into the competition on the back of some good form in the Simba Cup (a draw and two wins) and a morale boosting goalless draw against World Cup ’94 quarter-finalists Germany. And, with their rugby counterparts doing the nation proud [in winning the World Cup in 1995], the pressure was on to deliver in their first African adventure.
And deliver they did, putting to the sword a Cameroon side featuring a young Rigobert Song, beating the west Africans 3-0 in the opening game. Bafana went on to win their second group game against Angola by a solitary goal, but were quickly brought back down to earth, losing 1-0 to Egypt.
Despite the loss, they still qualified top of their group on goal-difference, avoiding rampant Group B winners Zambia. Their quarter-final opponents were Algeria, who they narrowly beat 2-1.
The dangerous Black Stars of Ghana lay next for Clive Barker and his boys but, inspired by John ‘Shoes’ Moshoeu, they thumped the west Africans 3-0 to book their place in the Final.
The rest, as they say, is history as Bafana defeated Tunisia 2-0 thanks to a brace from second half substitute Mark Williams, resulting in the most famous of scenes as Neil Tovey received the trophy from President Nelson Mandela.
1996 AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS
GROUP A
Saturday, 13 January 1996
Venue: Soccer City, Johannesburg
South Africa (2) 3 (P Masinga 14 Williams 37 Moshoeu 55)
Cameroon 0
Ref: Said Belqoba (Morocco)
SA: (4-4-2) Andre Arendse - Sizwe Motaung, Mark Fish, Neil Tovey (capt), David Nyathi - Doctor Khumalo, Eric Tinkler, Linda Buthelezi (Helman Mkhalele 58th), John Moshoeu - Mark Williams (Shaun Bartlett 70th), Phil Masinga (August Makalakalane 82nd)
Coach: Clive Barker
Saturday, 20 January 1996
Venue: Soccer City, Johannesburg
South Africa (0) 1 (Williams 57)
Angola 0
Ref: Ferid Boucetta (Tunisia)
Cautions: P Masinga, Joni
SA: (4-4-2) Andre Arendse - Sizwe Motaung, Mark Fish, Neil Tovey (capt), David Nyathi - Doctor Khumalo (Lucas Radebe 76th), Eric Tinkler, Linda Buthelezi (Helman Mkhalele 71st), John Moshoeu - Mark Williams (Shaun Bartlett 88nd), Phil Masinga
Coach: Clive Barker
Wednesday, 24 January 1996
Venue: Soccer City, Johannesburg
South Africa 0
Egypt (1) 1 (El Kass 7)
Ref: Lucien Bouchardeau (Niger)
Cautions: Tovey, Mkhalele, Bartlett; Maher
SA: (4-4-2) Andre Arendse - Sizwe Motaung, Mark Fish, Neil Tovey (capt), David Nyathi - August Makalakalane (John Moshoeu 39th), Eric Tinkler, Lucas Radebe (Zane Moosa 76th), Helman Mkhalele - Mark Williams, Phil Masinga (Shaun Bartlett 71st)
Coach: Clive Barker
Quarter-final
Saturday, 27 January 1996
Venue: Soccer City, Johannesburg
South Africa (0) 2 (Fish 72 Moshoeu 85)
Algeria (0) 1 (Lazizi 84)
Ref: Ali Bujsaim (United Arab Emirates)
Cautions: Radebe, P Masinga; Lazizi, El Ouazani, Hamdani
SA: (4-4-2) Andre Arendse - Sizwe Motaung, Mark Fish, Neil Tovey
(capt), Lucas Radebe - Doctor Khumalo (Helman Mkhalele 79th), Eric Tinkler, Linda Buthelezi, John Moshoeu - Mark Williams (Shaun Bartlett 76th), Phil Masinga
Coach: Clive Barker
Semi-final
Wednesday, 31 January 1996
Venue: Soccer City, Johannesburg
South Africa (1) 3 (Moshoeu 22, 87 Bartlett 46)
Ghana 0
Ref: Gamal El Ghandour (Egypt)
Cautions: Tinkler, Khumalo; Johnson
Dismissal: Lamptey 85
SA: (4-4-2) Andre Arendse - Sizwe Motaung, Mark Fish, Neil Tovey
(capt), Lucas Radebe - Doctor Khumalo, Eric Tinkler, Linda Buthelezi (John Moeti 76th), John Moshoeu - Mark Williams, Shaun Bartlett (Daniel Mudau 84th)
Coach: Clive Barker
Final
Saturday, 3 February 1996
Venue: Soccer City, Johannesburg
South Africa (0) 2 (Williams 72, 74)
Ref.: Charles Massembe (Uganda)
Cautions: Buthelezi; Jaballah, Hanini
SA: (4-4-2) Andre Arendse - Sizwe Motaung, Mark Fish, Neil Tovey
(capt), Lucas Radebe - Doctor Khumalo, Eric Tinkler, Linda Buthelezi (Helman Mkhalele 51st), John Moshoeu - Shaun Bartlett, Phil Masinga (Mark Williams 65th)
Coach: Clive Barker
Your comments on this story...
“It was a tough game. I am proud of my boys. This game was ours. But we were just unfortunate that we could not take the chances presented to us. I believe we were the better team but we just don't have the result to show for it.” Gordon Igesund.
I can't post the Cape Verde coach's post match because it will be in Portuguese
We live together, we die together, SA for life
My motto after the group stage exit
Gordon will be praised for preparing a team in short space n SAFA will be credited for hosting AFCON under pressure n in short space as well.
The boys will praised for declining to get bonuses.
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Pity, you are the only loser anticipating disaster....Tickets are Sold out at the national stadium for the opening game. South Africa - Angola game Category One Sold out...It's painful to be you
Do we really expect Gordon to beat Cape Verde mara yeh with his poor tactics.
I made a bet with one of Bobby's dogs that if SA make it to the next round, i will quit Kick Off.
a draw will be the best result SA can get
we have heard stories by Bobby that 50,000 tickets have been sold and then you see 2500 fans at the stadium, SAFA is desperate, they are giving tickets for free n stil people dont want them, they want to sell them and sit at the comfort of their home.
its only few people like you u are patriotic, some of us dont have time for mediocrity because we can see well ahead when a disaster is abut to happen.
Also dont ignore the element of an opening ceremony because most tourist want to witness this. its laos natural to say an opening game will be sold out.
Let Gordon and his Boys go embarrass us once again.
We live together, we die together, SA for life
My motto when we play World Cup Qualifiers
It is on home soil and we can do it. "uMzantsi u Jabulile\"
In our starting eleven, no one can win us games with his individual brilliance, they are all average.
Furman + KG + Yeye will be Gordon long hidden secrete with Shabba n Phala on the wings n Mphela lunguzing up front.
Gordon should have taken a risk on this tournament, we are not desperate to win, we want to see development and progress.
we are tired of seeing abo YEYE,SHABBA,KG,PARKER,MASILELA,ANELE,SANGWENI,
The have failed us dismally several times.
Now that I'm commenting once again, I hope they'll make me smile for a change, especially it's a new year, with new begginings.