South Africa’s third-place finish at the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) held in Ghana and Nigeria was a significant achievement in the country’s footballing history.

This tournament was marked by competitive play, exciting matches, and notable performances, and South Africa’s results reflected the continued strength of Bafana Bafana on the continental stage.

Under coach Trott Moloto, South Africa had a strong squad featuring key players such as Lucas Radebe, Quinton Fortune, Shaun Bartlett, and Siyabonga Nomvethe. The tournament served as a chance for the national team to solidify South Africa’s position as a leading football nation on the continent, having previously won the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations on home soil.

In the group stages, South Africa was placed in a tough quartet alongside Algeria, DR Congo and Gabon, but came out on top of the standings thanks to wins over the Panthers (3-1) and the Leopards (1-0), before playing out a 1-1 draw with the Fennec Foxes.

Bafana Bafana next came up against co-hosts Ghana in the quarterfinals, in a clash played at the Kumasi Sports Stadium. The Black Stars, with fervent home support on their side, were an intimidating opponent, but South Africa claimed a hard-earned 1-0 win courtesy of Nomvethe’s strike a few minutes before half time.

In the semifinals, South Africa came up against Nigeria, the other host nation, in Lagos. The match ended in a 2-0 defeat for Bafana Bafana, with Nigeria showing their superior form and exploiting defensive vulnerabilities.

Nigeria’s goals were well-executed, as Tijani Babangida netted in the first and 34th minutes to secure victory for the Super Eagles – though they would ultimately fall short of glory in the final, losing on penalties to Cameroon after a 2-2 draw.

After the loss to Nigeria, South Africa was given a chance to claim third place in a playoff match against Tunisia in Accra. Bafana Bafana and the Carthage Eagles played out an entertaining 2-2 draw (with goals from Bartlett and Nomvethe for the former, and a brace by Ali Zitouni for the latter) before South Africa claimed the bronze medals with a 4-3 penalty shootout triumph.

This third-place finish helped solidify South Africa’s position as a respected force in the continental game, though they would not return to the AFCON final four for another 24 years.