Bafana Bafana To Fly Direct To Nigeria For Crucial WC Qualifier

Bafana Bafana’s trip to Nigeria for their upcoming World Cup qualifier will be a direct one, highlighting the importance coach Hugo Broos places on the match.
This comes after a demanding schedule for many players, particularly those representing Mamelodi Sundowns (57 matches) and Orlando Pirates (45 matches) this season.
Both clubs contribute heavily to the Bafana Bafana squad, aiming for their first win against Nigeria on Nigerian soil since 2017. Sundowns, dominant champions for the seventh consecutive year, secured the African Football League title in November 2023.
Meanwhile, Pirates, the runners-up, achieved success in the MTN8 and Nedbank Cup, in both finals defeating Sundowns.
However, this intense competition has resulted in injuries. Sundowns defender Grant Kekana is out of these two FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Nigeria and Zimbabwe games and has been replaced by Kaizer Chiefs’ Given Msimango.
The crucial match against Nigeria takes place at Godswill Akpabio Stadium on Friday (21:00). Bafana Bafana then returns to South Africa for their clash against Zimbabwe at the Free State Stadium on Tuesday.
“I have to say that we are travelling by charter to Nigeria, thanks to a big financial effort by SAFA to ensure that we are fit and rested to take on Nigeria on their home turf,” said Broos on Monday.
“This is always in our best interests, so I want to thank them immensely.”
Bafana Bafana, the bronze medalists at the recent AFCON tournament in Ivory Coast, will be facing Nigeria in a rematch of their AFCON semifinal, where Nigeria emerged victorious through penalties.
“We all witnessed the cup final (between Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates in Mbombela) over the weekend, so it goes without saying that we have injuries,” added Broos.
“Due to a hamstring injury, Grant Kekana left the camp this morning and has been replaced by Given Msimango of Kaizer Chiefs.
“We have other injuries from the Sundowns players that played, like Khuliso Mudau, Ronwen Williams (both shoulders) and a few others. But we are confident that after the medical department’s assessment, all will be well. It is still a concern though.”