JOHANNESBURG (Interstat) — Southern African rivals Zimbabwe and South Africa will meet in a critical Africa Cup of Nations World qualifier on Monday, with both sides seeking momentum after mixed results in the group stage.

The match is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, at a to-be-determined venue in Zimbabwe.

South Africa, the visiting side, enters the contest looking to rebound from a narrow 1-0 away loss to Egypt on Friday. Prior to that defeat, Bafana Bafana secured a 2-1 home victory over Angola on Dec. 22. Their form shows attacking capability but recent inconsistency.

Zimbabwe, the host, earned a 1-1 draw on the road against Angola on Friday. In their preceding match, they fell 2-1 to Egypt, also away, on Dec. 22. The Warriors have demonstrated resilience but have struggled to secure full points in recent outings.

The historical rivalry, known as the “Southern Derby,“ adds a layer of intensity to this qualifying fixture. According to Interstat’s game simulator, South Africa is projected to secure a 3-1 victory. This forecast likely reflects South Africa’s slightly more potent recent offensive output compared to Zimbabwe’s single goal in its last two matches.

For South Africa, the focus will be on converting chances after being shut out by Egypt. Zimbabwe will aim to leverage home-field advantage and tighten its defense to counter South Africa’s attacking threats.

A positive result is crucial for both nations as they pursue qualification from a competitive group. The match kicks off at a time to be announced.