Bafana Bafana will play the Super Eagles of Nigeria on March 29 at Mbombela Stadium, Mpumalanga, the South African Football Association (SAFA) revealed on Friday March 6.
The two will clash in a high profile international friendly, the 12th meeting between the continent’s bitter rivals. In the past 11 meetings so far, Bafana Bafana have only prevailed once, lost seven encounters and drawn the other three.
South Africa and Nigeria drew the two matches in the recent CAF Africa Cup of Nations qualifying encounters for Equatorial Guinea, although Bafana Bafana coach Ephraim ‘Shakes’ Mashaba will feel he should at least have won one of the two games.
The first ended in a goalless draw at Cape Town Stadium, where South Africa spurned two late chances, and in the return game, conceded two late goals as the match ended in a 2-2 draw.
“The upcoming game will definitely be another grudge encounter, and both countries’ coaches would like to put the record straight. Whenever the two nations clash, the entire country comes to a standstill, more so with a huge Nigerian community in South Africa, this will be another explosive clash. This is a match soccer fans must not miss,” said SAFA President, Dr Danny Jordaan.
Tickets are available as from Monday and will go for R60 all round.
Amajimbos meet Mali
Meanwhile, South Africa Men’s National u.17 team, Amajimbos, who finished runners-up at the recently ended CAF African Youth championships in Niger to Mali, have an opportunity to avenge their final loss to the West Africans.
Molefi Ntseki’s Amajimbos play African champions Mali in probably one of the most mouthwatering curtain-raisers at Mbombela Stadium. The Amajimbos vs Mali match kicks off at 13:00.
The South African u.17 team met Mali twice in Niger – drawing the first match 2-2 during the group stages, and lost 2-0 in the final. Both teams, together with Nigeria and Guinea, will represent Africa at the World Cup in Chile.
“Fans could not have asked for a better soccer feast. Before Bafana Bafana take on the Super Eagles, fans will watch a repeat of the Amajimbos, Mali grudge fight.
“We all know what transpired in Niger, unfortunately there was no footage for fans to see for themselves, but will be in a position to watch the ‘grudge return fight’ on March 29 in Mbombela live and direct,” said Dr Jordaan.
At the same conference it was also announced that the u.23’s will play Palestine Senior National Team in Palestine on March 14.
This will be coach Owen da Gama’s first assignment as the u.23 coach.
