Honestly, every time I watch a South Africa vs Zimbabwe football match, it feels like both teams are super cautious and there's this crazy tension on the field. Like, neither side wants to make a mistake, so you don't see a lot of risky plays. I've noticed from recent stats that all of South Africa's last five COSAFA Cup games had under 2.5 goals, which totally shows how careful both sides are.

I think part of it comes from the rivalry and almost being "neighbors". There's a lot of pride at stake for fans, so even if the teams are talented, the games get super defensive because no one wants to mess up in front of their biggest rivals. Plus, both teams have solid defenses and solid keepers – South Africa has only been letting in 0.75 goals per home game. I've had so many friends say they get bored watching these matches, but for me, the tension makes it kind of awesome. It's one of those matchups where a single goal can decide the whole vibe. So yeah, the games are close because both teams play with tons of respect and a little bit of fear.