South Africa vs Kenya Tips: Bafana to Make It Three
Back South Africa to beat Kenya at Orlando Stadium. Bafana have six points and seven goals from two qualifiers, while Kenya have scored once and are still looking for a first win.
South Africa v Kenya. Friday, 13 November 2026, 18:00 SAST. AFCON 2027 Qualifier. Orlando Stadium, Johannesburg.
Match comparison
| Team | Recent performance | Key detail |
|---|---|---|
| South Africa | Beat Guinea 2-1 and Eritrea 5-0 | Six points |
| Kenya | Drew 1-1 with Eritrea; lost 1-0 to Guinea | One point |
Bafana have beaten both of Kenya's opponents
South Africa opened with a 2-1 win over Guinea and then beat Eritrea 5-0. Kenya drew 1-1 with Eritrea before losing 1-0 to Guinea, leaving a five-point difference after two rounds.
Those results make the home win more persuasive than a pick based simply on Orlando Stadium. Bafana have scored against both defences Kenya faced and have already beaten the opponent that kept Kenya out.
The Egypt result adds to the defensive case
Bafana also beat Egypt 1-0. Coming after the five-goal Eritrea win, that gives them a recent result built on keeping an opponent out rather than overwhelming one.
Ronwen Williams and Teboho Mokoena have fitness concerns. Both are significant names, so this is not a case for assuming Friday's side will be identical to the one that produced the opening qualifying wins.
Olunga gives Kenya a different attacking option
Michael Olunga returns for Kenya. Their one goal in two qualifiers is the obvious area requiring improvement, and his presence makes them a more awkward opponent than that return alone suggests.
Kenya still have to solve the larger problem of Bafana's seven qualifying goals. The return match is in Nairobi on Tuesday, but South Africa's stronger results against Guinea and Eritrea make Friday the clearer home-win selection.
Follow the wider programme in our AFCON qualifying tips. Our comparison of SA betting sites covers account terms and payment options.
The teams meet again in Nairobi on Tuesday. Read our Kenya vs South Africa preview for the return fixture.