When was Bafana Bafana formed? South Africa’s national football team, known as Bafana Bafana (“The Boys”), has a relatively short international history. That’s because the first team to represent all South Africans only played its first match in 1992 – two years before the country’s first democratic elections. Bafana’s first match was played in Durban, against Cameroon, on 7 July 1992. It proved to be a strong debut against one of Africa’s leading teams, which had made the quarterfinals of the World Cup only two years previously. Doctor Khumalo scored the game’s only goal to give South Africa a 1-0 win. Despite that victory over the Indomitable Lions, the effects of isolation soon showed as South Africa failed to qualify for the 1994 African Nations Cup after suffering four defeats in succession – to Cameroon, Zambia, Nigeria, and Zambia. Two years later, however, Bafana Bafana’s place at the African Nations Cup finals was assured when the country hosted the tournament. Under coach Clive Barker, the national team rose to the occasion, topping its group after beating Cameroon 3-0 and Angola 1-0 before losing 1-0 to Egypt. In the quarterfinals, Bafana beat Algeria 2-1 to set up a semi-final clash against Ghana, the only team that had won all its games up until that stage of the competition. Putting in one of the finest performances ever by the South African national team, the home side triumphed 3-0 in front of 75 000 spectators at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg. Bafana faced Tunisia in the final, after the North Africans had defeated Zambia 4-2 in the semi-finals. In front of a crowd of 80 000 at the FNB Stadium, Neil Tovey’s men gave the supporters what they wanted by beating the Tunisians 2-0, with Mark Williams netting both goals.