4x4s, AFCON heartbreak and the odd ray of hope – A history of Bafana v Nigeria

As Bafana Bafana and Nigeria prepare to meet in the Africa Cup of Nations semifinals in Bouake on Wednesday, it is fair to say that the odds are stacked in favour of the Super Eagles.

Not only is this Nigeria team packed with a host of overseas-based star quality, they also have an imposing record over Bafana,

Phakaaathi takes a trip back through time, looking at all of the previous competitive matches between these two great nations.

10 October 1992

Stade Surulele, Lagos

Nigeria 4 (Owubokiri 33, Siasia 56, Yekini 67, 89) Bafana Bafana 0

Early on in Bafana’s re-introduction to international football, they were humbled by Nigeria in Lagos in a qualifier for the 1994 Fifa World Cup in the USA. Ricky Owubokiri gave the Super Eagles the lead from a pass by the legendary Stephen Keshi.

A striker from Samson Siasia and a Rachidi Yekini brace completed the rout. Yekini would go on to be top scorer as Nigeria won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations.

The same player also scored Nigeria’s first ever goal at a World Cup finals in the same year, as the Super Eagles beat Bulgaria 3-0 at USA ’94.

Bafana’s line-up included Phil Masinga, Lucas Radebe, Steve Komphela and Neil Tovey

16 January 1993

Soccer City, Johannesburg

Bafana Bafana 0 Nigeria 0

In the return match of the same World Cup qualifying campaign, Augusto Palacios’ Bafana held the Super Eagles to a goalless draw, but it was Nigeria who would qualify for the World Cup finals in the USA.

In a fairly uneventful match, Nigeria had a goal controversially ruled out for offside but it didn’t matter in the grander scheme.

10 February 2000

Stade Surulele, Lagos

Nigeria 2 (Babangida 1, 34) Bafana Bafana 0

Both Trott Moloto’s Bafana and Nigeria had not lost a match in the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations finals as they met in the semifinals. But the game couldn’t have started off worse for Bafana as a mistake in midfield from Thabo Mngomeni allowed Tijani Babangida to run at the South African defence and drill a low shot past Andre Arendse after just 40 seconds.

Babangida ran Bafana absolutely ragged and curled in a brilliant second in the 34th minute, to effectively kill off the tie. Bafana ended up beating Tunisia on penalties to come third, with Shaun Bartlett’s five goals making him the tournament’s top scorer.

Nigeria lost on penalties in the final to Cameroon.

31 January 2004

Stade Mustapha Ben Jannet, Monastir, Tunisia

Nigeria 4 (Yobo 5, Okocha 64pen, Odemwingie 81, 83) Bafana Bafana 0

Nigeria inflicted another embarrassing defeat on Bafana at the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Tunisia, all but ending Styles Phumo’s side’s chances of making it out of the group stages.

Joseph Yobo opened the scoring from a Jay-Jay Okocha corner, before Okocha scored a penalty, given for an Aaron Mokoena handball. Peter Odemwingie came off the bench to grab a brace and complete the demolition job. Nigeria would go on to finish third at the AFCON, losing in the semifinals to eventual winners Tunisia.

Bafana’s draw with Morocco in their final group game was not enough for them to make the knockout rounds.

1 June 2008

Abuja National Stadium, Abuja

Nigeria 2 (Uche 10, Nwaneri 44) Bafana 0

Joel Santana’s brief and disastrous spell as Bafana head coach saw the side visit Abuja in June 2008 for their opening qualifier for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations (the game was also a 2010 Fifa World Cup qualifier, but as hosts, Bafana were already automatically qualified for that tournament).

Nigeria were determined to make up for the disappointment of failing to qualify for the 2006 Fifa World Cup, and it took them just ten minutes to go in front against Bafana, striker Ikechukwu Uche netting the opener.

Obinna Nwaneri added another on the stroke of half time as Nigeria cruised to another comfortable win over Bafana.

6 September 2008

Telkom Park, Port Elizabeth

Bafana Bafana 0 Nigeria 1 (Uche 69)

Ikechukwu Uche struck again for Nigeria in Port Elizabeth to complete a World Cup/AFCON qualifying double over Bafana.

The result meant that Bafana could no longer qualify for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Angola, an embarrassment for the country that would be hosting the World Cup finals in the same year.

Bafana then lost a friendly to Guinea 1-0 a few days later.

“I am building a squad to play at the 2010 World Cup finals. I am still looking for players. The rebuilding of Bafana started two years ago and I am continuing with that and will build a side to compete at the 2010 World Cup finals,” said Santana after that match.

Santana would not get the chance to coach Bafana at the World Cup, however, as he was sacked in October 2009, with Carlos Alberto Parreira returning to take up the reins.

10 September 2014

Cape Town Stadium

Bafana Bafana 0 Nigeria 0

Shakes Mashaba’s Bafana Bafana picked up the first of two respectable draws against Nigeria in 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying.

South Africa had their chances and may have won with better finishing, Tokelo Rantie unable to convert two second half opportunities. Erick Mathoho did clear a second half effort from Nigeria off his goalline, but Bafana were generally able to contain the Super Eagles fairly comfortably.

19 November 2014

Akwa Ibom Stadium, Uyo

Nigeria 2 (Aluko 68, 90+4) Bafana Bafana 2 (Rantie 42, 48)

South Africa looked set for a first ever competitive win over the Super Eagles when Tokelo Rantie put Bafana 2-0 up either side of half time in Uyo to leave the home crowd stunned.

Sone Aluko pulled one back for Nigeria, however, and then grabbed an equaliser in stoppage time. It meant little for a dismal AFCON qualifying campaign for Nigeria, as they failed to qualify for the 2015 AFCON finals, having won the whole tournament just two years earlier. Bafana qualified on top of the group but didn’t win a game in Equatorial Guinea, going out in the group stages.

Rantie’s goals were also, incredibly, the first that any Bafana player had scored against Nigeria in a competitive match since South Africa’s reintroduction into the international game.

10 June 2017

Goodwill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo

Nigeria 0 Bafana Bafana 2 (Rantie 54, Tau 81)

Stuart Baxter’s return to the Bafana Bafana hotseat in 2017 couldn’t have got off to a better start as Bafana Bafana finally beat Nigeria in a competitive fixture, winning this opening 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Uyo.

Tokelo Rantie opened the scoring, netting his third goal against Nigeria, while Percy Tau grabbed the second nine minutes from time as Bafana picked up a surprise win.

” I have received countless messages of congratulations mostly from back home in South Africa. They are still trickling in and it goes to show what this win means for the country,” said Baxter after the game.

“We were comfortable on the ball, hit the post twice; I am absolutely delighted. This is what South Africa should do on regular basis.”

17 November 2018

Soccer City, Johannesburg

Bafana Bafana 1 (Mothiba, 26) Nigeria 1 (Mkhwanazi OG 9)

Baxter’s Bafana had made things difficult for themselves in AFCON qualifying by drawing at home to Libya and in the Seychelles.

A win over Nigeria would have been enough to guarantee a place in Egypt 2019, but Bafana fell behind to an early own goal from Buhle Mkhwanazi and while Lebo Mothiba tapped home from close range to level the scores, Bafana couldn’t find a winner.

While a point was enough for Nigeria to qualify, Bafana still needed a point from their final qualifier against Libya, but they managed a win, with Percy Tau netting two fine goals.

10 July 2019

Cairo International Stadium

Nigeria 2 (Chukwueze 27, Troost-Ekong 89) Bafana Bafana 1 (Zungu 71)

Bafana came into this game on a high after stunning hosts Egypt in the last 16, but Nigeria were also in the mood, having won a thriller in the last 16 against great rivals Cameroon. Samuel Chukwueze turned in Alex Iwobi’s cross at the second attempt to put Nigeria ahead, but Bongani Zungu looked to have taken the game into extra time when he looped a header home.

In the final minute, however, defender William Troost-Ekong fired in after Ronwen Williams had completely missed a corner as Nigeria claimed their place in the semifinals.