by TINTSWALO BALOYI
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – ALL eyes will be focusing on football giants of this continent when the tussle for qualification for the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) resumes on Tuesday afternoon.
South Africa, who failed to capitalise on their home advantage when held 2-2 by visiting Uganda last Friday will be looking forward to redeem themselves as they take on unpredictable South Sudan in Juba this afternoon in a match to kick-off at 15:00.
Many football analysts and fans predict Bafana Bafana will easily sail through the Bright Stars as the South Sudanese national team are commonly called, but football in Africa has tremendously changed to an extent that there is no longer a team called small or big.
The battle of Juba will be a matter of do-or-die for the Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos, whose squad seem to be unsteady without their captain and number one goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.
In the absence of Percy Tau, Bafana Bafana will heavily depend on the experience of local premiership champions Mamelodi Sundowns players Themba Zwane, Teboho Mokoena, Khuliso Mudau, Aubrey Modiba, Grant Kekana and Thapelo Morena.
However, it will be folly for South Africa to underestimate the host nation since those South Sudanese players would like to take home advantage to collect maximum points over a team which is not flawless.
Bafana Bafana’s last week 2-2 draw against Uganda at Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg will be a huge morale boost for the Bright Stars, who now believe if the same South African national team is held at their own backyard by the Uganda Cranes, what stops South Sudan from beating them at their own backyard in Juba?
In another match which promises fireworks pitting the continent’s most populous nation Nigeria against Rwanda is expected to keep fans on their seats as the Amavubi have proved to be no pushovers at their homeground.
On the other hand, the Super Eagles of Nigeria, who on Saturday thrashed little known Benin 3-0 will be hoping to repeat their winning formula against Rwanda.
Elsewhere, five-team African champions Cameroon will be battling out with Zimbabwe at Mandela Stadium in Kampala, Uganda in a match kicking off at 18:00.
Although the Indomitable Lions are regarded as football powerhouse for Africa, it will be foolish to undermine the Warriors of Zimbabwe, who are capable of shocking any team when in good form.
Another African football giant, Egypt, will lock horns with Botswana in Gaborone in a match expected to go the Pharaohs’ way.
Of late, The Zebras have always proved difficult to beat at their own backyard, hopefully today’s match will be another opportunity for Botswana to prove they are not pushovers.
Another big match to watch is the Burkina Faso versus Malawi at Ouagadougou. The match kicks off at 21:00.
Elsewhere in Liberia, there will be a hiding for Algeria when the Lone Stars host the visiting Desert Warriors in Monrovia in a match kicking off at 18:00.
That match promises a thriller.
Another game pitting Goliath versus David encounter will be contested in Mbabane where Eswatini take on former AFCON champions Mali. That match kicks off at 15:00.
See full fixture for AFCON matches below:
TUESDAY, 10th September 2024
AFCON Qualifying
- Botswana vs Egypt (15:00)
- Eswatini vs Mali (15:00)
- Mozambique vs Guinea-Bissau (15:00)
- Rwanda vs Nigeria (15:00)
- South Sudan vs South Africa (15:00)
- Gabon vs Central African Republic (18:00)
- Guinea vs Tanzania (18:00)
- Liberia vs Algeria (18:00)
- Namibia vs Kenya (18:00)
- Zimbabwe vs Cameroon (18:00)
- Benin vs Libya (18:00)
- Burkina Faso vs Malawi (21:00)
- Cape Verde vs Mauritania (21:00)
- Chad vs Cote d’Ivoire (21:00)
- Zambia vs Sierra Leone (21:00)
AFCON results for 9th September 2024
- Lesotho 0-1 Morocco
- Ethiopia 0-2 DR Congo
- Angola 2-1 Sudan
- Uganda 2-0 Congo
- Niger 1-1 Ghana
- Madagascar 1-1 Comoros
- Equatorial Guinea 2-2 Togo
- Burundi 0-1 Senegal
– CAJ News