JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – AUGUST 16: Coach Stuart Baxter of Bafana Bafana during the South African national soccer team training session at FNB Stadium on August 16, 2017 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images)
Senegal v South Africa: Preview, head to head, starting XI, kick off and live stream
Nothing left to play for, except for pride for Bafana Bafana
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – AUGUST 16: Coach Stuart Baxter of Bafana Bafana during the South African national soccer team training session at FNB Stadium on August 16, 2017 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images)
With Africa’s representatives at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia all confirmed, South Africa now go into their final match of the qualifiers against Senegal in Dakar on Tuesday with nothing but pride left to play for.
Senegal booked their place in Russia after defeating Stuart Baxter’s men 2-0 at Peter Mokaba stadium on Friday in the replay of their controversial 2016 fixture. The win took their points tally in Group D to an unassailable 11 points, while their opponents are left rooted at the bottom of the group with just four points.
Bafana’s solitary victory so far in the campaign was against Burkina Faso when they trounced them 3-1, in a convincing performance which gave a false sense that they were on the verge of turning things around and would take that confidence in to the final two fixtures against the Lions of Teranga.
That would prove far from being, as the result on Friday was pretty much decided in the first half when Thamsanqa Mkhize pretty much lost control of his body and came into contact with the ball, following Itumeleng Khune’s attempted save, turning it into his own net.
That brought the visitors 2-0 up, pretty much signalling the end of the contest as anyone who has seen any recent incarnation of the men’s national would struggle to point out an occasion where they came back to force a positive result from a two goal deficit.
Head to head
Friday’s result was the first time a competitive game between these two sides managed to produce a winner, following FIFA’s annulment of South Africa’s win almost a year to the day. It was also Senegal’s first win against South Africa in over 12 years.
Starting XI
Senegal – TBA
South Africa – TBA
Kick off and live stream
The game kicks off at 21:30 and will be broadcast live on Supersport 4 (SS4).
