Bafana Bafana are left for Congo on Thursday October 9 knowing very well that they have an edge over that country when it comes to results on the football field.
In the first match, South Africa travels to Congo to face the host nation on Saturday October 11.
Kick-off is at 16:30 (SA time).
The return leg will be played at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on Wednesday, October 15
There have been a total of eight matches played between the two countries – South Africa winning four and losing one while the other three finished in a stalemate.
Bafana Bafana have scored a total of six times and conceded four goals.
The two nations meet again after seven years –in a CAF Orange Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2015 Qualifier.
“I am confident we will do well. My boys are ready and from what I have seen at training I have no doubt we will not get a positive result. We are not complacent but very confident,” said Bafana Bafana head coach Shakes Mashaba.
The last meeting in June 2007 in Pointe Noire failed to produce a winner.
The match ended in a one all draw with Sibusiso Zuma scoring for Bafana Bafana under the leadership of Brazilian coach Carlos Alberto Parreira.
The first ever match played between South Africa and Congo was in October 1992, a World Cup qualifier for USA ’94 with Mashaba as the coach.
They defeated Congo 1-nil courtesy of a Phil Masinga goal in the 27th minute.
“I think they are aware of what is at stake and nobody loves a loser, everyone wants a winner. I want them to go and write their own history and when the time comes, they must stand and be counted. I don’t want to dwell on the negative but would like to focus on our strong points which will help us get the crucial six points,” said Mashaba.
Since the first match, South Africa has faced Congo with different coaches: Augusto Palacios, Clive Barker (two times), Trott Moloto, Carlos Quieroz, Pitso Mosimane and Carlos Alberto Parreira.
Mashaba, Palacios, Barker and Trott Moloto have all registered wins against Congo – but Barker is the only cooach to lose to the same side.
The last win came in an AFCON qualifier in September 2000 in Point Noire – Moloto was coach of Bafana Bafana at the time.
In the eight matches between the two countries – four were World Cup qualifiers while the other four were AFCON qualifiers.
They have never met in an international friendly match.
