3 months ago
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The Super Eagles volition anticipation to get their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying run backmost connected track, erstwhile they big South Africa’s Bafana Bafana matchday 3 successful Group C connected Friday, June 7, 2024.
The crippled is billed for the 30,000-capacity Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, Akwa Ibom.
It is the archetypal of 2 fixtures lined up for the Finidi George-led side, who volition besides instrumentality connected Benin Republic connected matchday 4 connected Monday, 10 June successful Abidjan.
The AFCON 2023 finalist volition beryllium targeting a archetypal triumph successful the qualifiers aft failing to unafraid 3 points successful their opening 2 games.
In their archetypal crippled successful Uyo, the Eagles had to travel from a extremity down to unit minnows Lesotho to a 1-1 draw. A fewer days later, they came from down again to settee for a 1-1 gully against Zimbabwe successful Rwanda.
Now, they person the accidental to unafraid a archetypal triumph successful the qualifiers erstwhile they look South Africa who person recorded 1 triumph (2-1 against Benin Republic) and a decision (2-0 distant to Rwanda).
It is precisely 4 months to the time that the Eagles and South Africa squared disconnected successful the semi-final of the AFCON 2023 which the erstwhile won 4-2 via punishment shootout aft 120 minutes ended 1-1.
Heading into Friday’s clash, the Eagles person been the ascendant broadside successful their meetings with South Africa, winning eight, drafting 5 and losing conscionable 2 of their 15 games.
But the Eagles volition person to beryllium wary of the South Africans who they person not beaten present successful Nigeria since a 2-0 triumph successful 2008. In their past 2 trips, the 1996 AFCON winners person recorded a triumph and a draw.
Having already sealed qualification to the 2015 AFCON, South Africa was liable for the Eagles’ nonaccomplishment to besides suffice aft holding them to a 2-2 gully successful Uyo successful November 2014.
Under the precocious Stephen Keshi, the Eagles needed an outright triumph against South Africa but recovered themselves 1-0 down aft Tokelo Rantie scored successful the 42nd minute. Just 3 minutes into the 2nd half, Rantie doubled South Africa’s pb to marque it 2-0.
In the 68th minute, Sone Aluko pulled a extremity backmost for the Eagles and besides grabbed the equalizer successful the 94th infinitesimal which, unfortunately, was excessively small excessively precocious arsenic the Eagles got eliminated arsenic South Africa and Congo Brazzaville secured the tickets to the AFCON 2015.
The Eagles and South Africa were erstwhile again grouped successful the qualifiers for the AFCON 2019 which was hosted successful Egypt.
Their archetypal gathering successful the qualifiers was besides astatine the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium successful Uyo which saw the Eagles parade the likes of Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, Moses Simon, Kelechi Iheanacho and William Troost-Ekong.
But to everyone’s shock, the South Africans won 2-0 acknowledgment to goals successful each fractional from Tokelo Rantie and Percy Tau.
After a battling 0-0 scoreline successful the archetypal half, South Africa took the pb done Rantie earlier Tau sealed the triumph with an 81st-minute goal. In the 2nd limb successful Johannesburg, the Eagles held South Africa to a 1-1 gully which was capable for some teams to suffice for the 2019 AFCON.
As some teams get acceptable to renew their rivalry, volition the Eagles yet flooded Bafana Bafana for the archetypal clip since 2008 oregon volition Hugo Broos’ broadside widen their unbeaten streak, extremity of 90 minutes connected Friday volition decide.
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