Bafana Bafana will host Nigeria in Bloemfontein on Tuesday knowing that a home win can end the Super Eagles’ hopes of topping CAF FIFA World Cup qualifying Group C… that is, unless Bafana suffer a retrospective points deduction.
There is no official word from FIFA yet regarding whether or not Bafana Bafana will be docked three points for fielding the suspended Teboho Mokoena in the 2-0 win over Lesotho in March. As a result, there is still some degree of uncertainty regarding the true status of the group.
However, Bafana lead the pack in any scenario with 16 points from seven games as it stands – five ahead of second-placed Benin, giving them a margin of error with three games to go for each team in the group.
Nigeria are third out of six teams with 10 points, so if they beat Bafana in Bloemfontein, they can move within three of the leaders.
A further three-point deduction for Hugo Broos’ men would then leave the two age-old rivals level on points, with Gernot Rohr’s Benin also well-placed to benefit.
Only the top team in the group will automatically qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
The four best second-placed teams across nine groups in Africa progress to a knockout tournament to determine the sole African representative at the inter-confederation playoffs.
Bafana are riding high off the back of a 3-0 win over Lesotho in Bloemfontein – this one beyond any reasonable threat of being overturned.
They were particularly imposing down the left flank, where left-back Aubrey Modiba was the catalyst for many of their attacks.
The Super Eagles were unconvincing in a 1-0 win over Rwanda in Uyo, but new Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Tolu Arokodare came off the bench to score a crucial goal that keeps Éric Chelle’s men firmly in the fight.
Key Details
Date: Tuesday, September 9 at 18:00 CAT (16:00 GMT)
Venue: Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein
How to watch: The match is available on SuperSport and SABC 2.
Stats
Hugo Broos has gone 16 matches undefeated from the dugout with Bafana Bafana since the Africa Cup of Nations. This does not count matches which he did not directly oversee, such as the African Nations Championship (CHAN), CHAN qualifiers or the COSAFA Cup.
Three of the last four matches between South Africa and Nigeria have been level at 1-1 at the end of regulation time. The other – in the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals – was decided by an 89th minute winner by William Troost-Ekong to make it 2-1 to the Super Eagles.
Nigeria also beat South Africa on penalties at the 2023 AFCON semi-finals after one of the 1-1 draws.
