Nigeria – a tough one
[caption id="attachment_75335" align="alignright" width="300"] GOAL MAN: Will Bafana Bafana's Thulani Hlatshwayo score again on Sunday? Picture: GALLO IMAGES -[/caption]
Bafana Bafana keen to overturn Super Eagles’ unbeaten status
MANCHESTER United’s legendary manager Alex Ferguson would always refer to Manchester City as the noisy neighbours – a club which had a lot to say but little to show in the trophy cabinet.
Nigeria may not be a neighbour to South Africa, but they have proved to be a noisy bunch over the years whenever the Super Eagles come up against Bafana Bafana.
Unlike City, of course, Nigeria have good reason to be noisy, the West Africans boasting a very impressive record against Bafana, with no defeat in a competitive game.
When the Super Eagles face Bafana in an international friendly at Mbombela Stadium this Sunday (3.30pm), you can be sure Nigerian fans will come in their numbers to torment the home supporters.
But Shakes Mashaba’s boys face Nigeria eager to erase the pain they suffered at Akwa Ibom Stadium in an African Cup of Nations qualifying match last year.
Bafana were on the brink of making history against the Super Eagles, but a collapse towards the end of the game allowed the African giants to come back from two goals down to secure a 2-2 draw which denied the visitors the victory they still crave over the enemy.
Bafana go into the game on the back of victory, the side registering a 3-1 win over Swaziland on Wednesday at Somhlolo Stadium, thanks to goals by Thulani Hlatshwayo, Thabo Mnyamane and Mandla Masango.
But Mashaba was concerned about his side’s defending: “They really came at us and the goal they scored – my defence did not do well. We should have defended better.”
Nigeria, who were beaten 1-0 by Uganda in a friendly on Wednesday, have been struggling for consistent form since getting knocked out of the Fifa World Cup last year, but they have proved before that they do not have to be at their best to beat Bafana.
They have a score to settle with Bafana, who denied them a chance to defend their Africa Cup of Nations title in Equatorial Guinea this year with that draw last year.
Andile Jali, Rivaldo Coetzee, Siyabonga Nhlapo, Sibusiso Vilakazi and Sibusiso Khumalo, players who did not feature against Swaziland, are likely to start on Sunday.
-Tshepang Mailwane
