Cape Town — South Africa and Nigeria will look to continue their respective rebuilding processes tomorrow afternoon when they lock horns in a friendly international at the Mbombela Stadium.

Bafana Bafana managed to put their failed 2015 Africa Cup of Nations campaign behind them after cruising to a 3-1 victory over Swaziland on Wednesday, the side’s first outing since finishing bottom of Group C at this year’s showpiece in Equatorial Guinea.

Shakes Mashaba’s men will now look to build on that result when they face the Super Eagles, who are expected to be out for revenge over Bafana after the sides’ 2-2 Afcon qualifying draw last year meant the Nigerians would not be present to defend their continental crown at the tournament proper.

The Eagles have continued to look shaky, having won just one of their three friendly matches since their failed qualifying campaign, losing the other two, including against Uganda on Wednesday.

That 1-0 loss came at an added cost for Nigeria, who will be without captain Vincent Enyeama this weekend after the goalkeeper suffered an injury against the Ugandans in what was his 100th appearance for the national team.

The Super Eagles do, however, have history on their side, having lost just one of their 11 encounters against South Africa, with both their Afcon qualifiers having ended in stalemates.

Mashaba will now be looking to tilt those stats tomorrow, and could hand another start to Itumeleng Khune, who made his first international appearance in over a year during the first 45 minutes against Swaziland, where the Kaizer Chiefs shot stopper managed to keep a clean sheet before being substituted at half-time.

Meanwhile, Daniel Cardoso will be looking to follow up on his international debut in midweek with his second Bafana cap, while Thabo Mnyamane also made his Bafana bow in that game, and even got on the score sheet. — Sport24

 

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