With the dust well and truly settled on Bafana Bafana’s run to the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) semi-finals earlier this year, coach Hugo Broos will be hoping his charges pull up their socks against Congo.
South Africa currently holds second spot in Group K of their Afcon qualifiers, and will host Congo at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Friday evening.
What time is the Bafana Bafana Congo match?
Kick-off is set for 7pm.
After a win against South Sudan and a draw against Uganda in their previous two qualifiers, Bafana will aim to turn in a much more convincing performance in the next two matches which come in quick succession.
‘I want to see a South Africa that dominates’
“So I will talk to the players and I want to see another South Africa against Congo, a South Africa that shows confidence and that dominates. I am sure if we achieve that we will also get six points,” said Broos.
Congo will then welcome Bafana to Alphonse Massemba-Débat Stadium in Brazzaville on Tuesday.
A win against Congo on Friday will be non-negotiable for Bafana and Broos, and a win in the return away fixture would just about secure their qualification for Afcon next year.
Currently, South Africa are tied with Uganda on four points, but hold second place in the group through goal difference. Uganda have a goal difference of two, while Bafana are just one in the positive.
Congo, meanwhile, are third on three points and will be looking to deliver an upset. South Sudan hold up bottom spot without a point from their two matches.
South Africa are the top-ranked team in the group at 59th in the Fifa world rankings, while Congo are 117th. Uganda are 90th and South Sudan are way down in 172nd.
The rankings will mean little in the forthcoming match-ups, but Bafana and Broos will take nothing less than a second place finish in the group to secure their passage to Afcon next year.
Also check out the Sports Podcast as our digital journalists John Goliath, Michael Sherman, Lunga Biyela and Mthobisi Nozulela preview the Bafana Bafana vs Congo encounter.
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