South Africa coach Hugo Broos and Helman Mkhalele and Grant Johnson during the Bafana Bafana training in Stellenbosch ahead of their African Cup of Nation in Cameroon. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane, Independent Newspapers
As Nigeria’s Super Eagles and South Africa’s Bafana Bafana reignite their titanic rivalry on Wednesday evening in Ivory Coast, the statistics from their past Africa Cup of Nations clashes make for grim reading for Mzansi fans.
It will be only the second time the two countries clash in an Afcon semi-final, with three matches in the record books overall. In their only previous encounter in the last four, Nigeria sent South Africa packing with an emphatic 2-0 win in February 2000 in Lagos.
Since Nigeria were co-hosts of that edition of the tournament, they enjoyed home-ground advantage, with 60,000 people in the stadium spurring them on to victory.
Nigeria’s hero in that match 24 years ago was the Ajax Amsterdam striker Tijani Babangida, whose first-half brace was enough for the Super Eagles to reach the final.
Our first training session in Bouake, at Lycee Technique. Semi final loading… #TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 #AfCON2023 #BafanaPride pic.twitter.com/HmoomTmXTE
— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) February 5, 2024
It was the first time the Super Eagles and Bafana clashed at the showpiece event and in subsequent years, two more clashes followed.
In 2004, Nigeria won 4-0, and most recently in 2019, the West Africans overcame South Africa 2-1.
The group stage match in Tunisia 20 years ago took place while Nigeria were battling with massive off-the-field problems, after sending three players home because of disciplinary issues.
Nevertheless, Nigeria trounced South Africa with one of the goalscorers the great Jay-Jay Okocha.
It was fitting that the goal he scored was the 1,000th goal in the history of the Cup of Nations and the Bolton Wanderers midfielder was presented with a special award.
In July 2019, Nigeria sneaked into the Afcon semi-finals after defeating South Africa 2-1 in the quarter-finals.
After Nigeria opened the scoring in the first half, South Africa’s Bongani Zungu equalised with a header from a Percy Tau free-kick, but it was ruled out for offside.
Moroccan referee Rédouane Jiyed then consulted with VAR and the goal was awarded to make it 1-1 with 19 minutes left on the clock.
Bafana lost concentration in the closing stages of the game, and they were punished by William Troost-Ekong, who fired home from second-half substitute Moses Simon’s corner kick in the 89th minute, Ronwen Williams failing to claim the ball in the mêlée. Bafana were coached by Stuart Baxter at the time.
Assistant coach Helman Mkhalele, Tau and Williams will again be in the trenches on Wednesday and hopefully they can turn the tables on Nigeria this time with the Afcon record currently reading played three, lost three, eight goals for Nigeria, and one against.
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