AFCON
Nigeria-South Africa Duels Always Brace-Laden
BY BOLAJI OKUNOLA
Saturday’s Africa Cup of Nations’ qualifying match that pitches Nigeria against South Africa will be the 13th clash of both countries at the senior level. Sports Village Square recalls that half of the past 12 encounters produced players that scored two goals, which in football parlance is called brace.
The last competitive encounter of both teams, incidentally at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium which is also hosting Saturday’s match, produced brace achievers on both sides.
South Africa’s Tokelo Rantie scored in each half before Omatsone Aluko also achieved his own brace for Nigeria in the second half.
Before then, Rashidi Yekini had opened the brace-laden encounters when he scored two goals in a 4-0 defeat of South Africa in 1992. This was followed up by Tijani Babangida who scored the two goals with which Nigeria eliminated South Africa in the quarterfinals of 2000 Africa Cup of Nations in Lagos.
When both side met again in the group game of 2004 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia, Osaze Odemwingie scored two late goals to join the brace scorers. Sports Village Square also recall that the encounter saw Nigeria’s captain, Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha, scoring the milestone 1000th goal in the Africa Cup of Nation’s history.
When Nigeria met South Africa in the Mandela International Challenge on August 14, 2013, Uche Nwofor scored the two goals with which Nigeria beat South Africa in the last edition of the series in Nelson Mandela’s lifetime.
Nigeria beat South Africa 3-1 on home soil in the 2014 African Nations Championship (CHAN). Ejike Uzoenyi was the two-goal hero. It was not until the last time both met in Uyo that South Africa had its first opportunity of scoring against Nigeria outside their shores and also achieved their first brace when Tokelo profited from two defensive blunders to score in 42nd and 48th minutes. Nigeria’s Omatsone Aluko replied with a brace later in the game.
Nigeria versus South Africa: Head-to-Head
- October 10, 1992, Lagos: Nigeria 4-0 South Africa: Brace by Rashidi Yekini
- January 16, 1993, J’bourg: South Africa 0-0 Nigeria
- February 10, 2000, Lagos: Nigeria 2-0 South Africa: Brace by Tijani Babangida
- January 31, 2004, Monastir: South Africa 0-4 Nigeria: Brace by Osaze Odemwingie
- November 17, 2004, J’bourg: South Africa 2-1 Nigeria
- June 1, 2008, 2008, Abuja: Nigeria 2-0 South Africa
- September 6, 2008, Port Elizabeth: South Africa 0-1 Nigeria
- August 14, 2013, Durban: South Africa 0-2 Nigeria: Brace by Uche Nwofor
- January 19, 2014, Cape Town: South Africa 1-3 Nigeria: Brace by Ejike Uzoenyi
- September 10, 2014, Cape Town: South Africa 0-0 Nigeria
- November 19, 2014, Uyo: Nigeria 2-2 South Africa: Brace by Tokelo Rantie (South Africa), Sone Aluko (Nigeria)
- March 29, 2015, Cape Town: South Africa 1-1 Nigeria
After commanding victories in the first leg matches of the Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2025, qualifiers, Chad, Liberia, and Eswatini find themselves in advantageous positions as they gear up for the return fixtures scheduled for Tuesday.
As the second leg of the preliminary fixtures approach, all eyes will be on these teams as they vie for their coveted spots in the group phase of the qualifiers, with the hopes of making their mark on the continental stage.
Chad emerged victorious with a narrow 1-0 win over Mauritius, joining Liberia and Eswatini in the lead after their impressive triumphs earlier last week.
Liberia secured a 2-0 victory against Djibouti, while Eswatini displayed their dominance with a 3-0 win over Somalia.
The second leg promises to be fiercely contested, particularly for Chad, who will face a challenging encounter against Mauritius on the latter’s home turf.
Coach Kevin Nicaise’s players are keen to defend their slender lead and secure their spot in the next phase of the qualifiers but the trainer admits they have an arduous task.
“We are far from perfect, far from being a top team in the world. We are in the construction phase. There are still things to work on and improve,” coach Nicaise said after their first-leg win.
“It is not overnight that we will be a top team in the world, we are aware of that, however we are working hard with the group and the staff to achieve this goal.”
Meanwhile, Liberia will host Djibouti, aiming to build on their first-leg success and seal their progression to the next round.
Eswatini will host Somalia with confidence, seeking to maintain their winning momentum and secure passage to the next stage of the tournament.
South Sudan and Sao Tome and Principe will also face off in what is expected to be a closely contested encounter, following their goalless draw in the first leg.
With both teams eager for victory, the match promises to be a thrilling battle for supremacy.
-CAF
Liberia and Eswatini took commanding leads in their respective Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2025, preliminary round ties after claiming impressive away victories on Wednesday.
Liberia captain Murphy Dorley scored one of two first-half goals as the Lone Stars defeated hosts Djibouti 2-0 in the opening leg in Marrakech.
Mohammed Sangare broke the deadlock from the penalty spot on 23 minutes before Dorley coolly slotted home Sebastian Teclar’s cross 12 minutes later.
Djibouti struggled to lay a glove on their more illustrious opponents as the Lone Star side kept them at bay to take two away goals into next week’s second leg in Monrovia.
Eswatini were also celebrating after demolishing Somalia 3-0 in the Moroccoan city of El Jadida to put one foot in the group stage qualifiers.
Striker Sabelo Ndzinisa was the hero, netting twice either side of Felicio Figuareido’s 40th minute opener for the visitors.
Somalia now face an uphill battle to qualify when they travel to the Mbombela Stadium in the South African city of Nelspruit for the return on March 26th.
The opening leg victories give Liberia and Eswatini a huge advantage heading into the second legs as they target a place in the group stage on the road to next year’s finals in Morocco.
Back from the locker room, Somalia still couldn’t play its game.
Worse, Eswatini widened the gap with Ginindza who scored his double of the evening in the 56th minute. 3-0, the score remained unchanged on the scoreboard until the final whistle.
Victory for Eswatini which will still have to perform in the return leg to ensure its qualification for the qualifiers.
Following last month’s grand closing to the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations held in Cote d’Ivoire where the hosts were crowned champions for the third time, Africa’s biggest competition is now shifting its focus to the 35th edition set to be held in Morocco next year.
A total of 52 Nations will be engaged to compete for a place in the 24-nation competition.
To mark the start of the qualifiers following the draw that was held in Cairo on 20 February 2024, eight lowest ranked nations will compete in the Preliminary Qualifiers starting on Wednesday, 20 March over a two-legged format that will decide the four nations that will join the other 44 African nations to make up the group stages of the qualifiers.
The CAF AFCON Morocco 2025 journey officially gets underway on Wednesday, 20 March with two fixtures as Somalia plays host to Eswatini, while Djibouti faces Liberia.
Two days later, Chad locks horns with Mauritius before Sao Tome and Principe takes on South Sudan.
The return legs will conclude on Tuesday, 26 March with all matches set to take place on the day to officially decide the preliminary phase of the competition.
AFCON Morocco 2025 Preliminary Qualifiers:
First Leg Fixtures:
Wednesday, 20 March
- 18:00 GMT | Somalia – Eswatini
- 22:00 GMT | Djibouti – Liberia
Friday, 22 March
- 18:00 GMT | Chad – Mauritius
- 19:00 GMT | Sao Tome and Principe – South Sudan
Return Leg Fixtures:
Tuesday, 26 March
- 13:00 GMT | Eswatini – Somalia
- 16:00 GMT | Liberia – Djibouti
- 17:00 GMT | South Sudan – Sao Tome and Principe
- 15:00 GMT | Mauritius – Chad
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