SportsMall previews Friday's Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between South Africa and Congo, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
The Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers are set to resume this week and we'll see in Group K South Africa taking Congo Friday evening at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
With the tournament reaching its halfway mark this week, the game will be the first of a doubleheader as the two teams return to action four days apart in Brazzaville.
Competition preview
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After managing their best AFCON qualification since 1999-00 earlier this year, South Africa have made a positive start to their new qualification campaign, currently sitting second in the group standings, four points behind Uganda.
Bafana Bafana opened their qualifier against the Cranes last month with a spirited 2-2 draw and followed up with another nail-biting 3-2 win over South Sudan in the second week of the tournament.
With those results, Hugo BruceWin's side have now extended their unbeaten streak to 10 in all competitions, a feat that dates back to their AFCON semi-final defeat against Nigeria in February.
Having kept just one clean sheet since the last AFCON (nine games) during the tournament in Ivory Coast, one area Bruce has mentioned he wants to see his team improve on this month is their defensive tenacity. matches and conceded only twice.
Historically, the matches between these two sides have been closely contested, with three of the previous four meetings ending in draws, while the only win that time went Bafana Bafana's way during qualification for the 2015 edition of the competition.
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However, while Congo have done relatively well in this tournament in the past, the side has endured a tough time in recent months, especially in the immediate lead-up to this double-header.
Less than a week before the team traveled to Gqeberha for the match, the Congolese Football Confederation (Fecofoot) shut down, a day before the final squad was announced.
It was the latest blow for Congolese football in recent times – three months ago, the team failed to qualify for a World Cup qualifier in neighboring DR Congo against Niger, losing 3-0.
In terms of performances, the Red Devils lost 2-0 to Uganda but beat South Sudan 1-0 in the qualifiers, although that was the only win they have managed since defeating the same opposition in March. 2023.
South Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers Format:
South Africa Format (All Matches):
Congo Africa Cup of Nations Qualification:
Congo Format (All Matches):
Group messages
© Imago
South Africa suffered a massive injury ahead of this month's qualifiers with their captain Ronwen Williams Returned to full fitness after missing the first two matches with a shoulder injury.
However, Bafana is Bafana's savior Don't have talentThe leveler against Uganda and the winner against South Sudan both went off injured in stoppage time, while the Stellenbosch midfielder Jayden Adams Abandoned.
As for Congo, there is no official confirmation of the squad that will travel to South Africa for this tournament, although they are reported to be unchanged from the first two rounds.
If that's the case, they'll look to the likes of the Red Devils Merveil Ndockyt And young boys forward Silver eyes At the same time, to cause problems in attacks on the host nation Brian Bassey And Ryan Bitunga It is likely to join the central defense.
South Africa Probable Starting Lineup:
Williams; Mudau, Kegana, Dartli, well; Apollis, Prince, Abas, Swane, Weed; Cultivation
Congo Possible starting line-up:
method; Andzouana, Passi, Bidounga, Poaty; Tempi, Masanga; Bassouamina, Mboungou, Ndockyt; Kanvoula
We say: South Africa 2-0 Congo
While Congo have struggled for opponents in the past year, holding the likes of Gambia and Gabon to draws and narrowly losing to Zambia, their off-field issues have affected their performances in recent months and we feel it. In this, the home side will struggle to keep up.
Please click here for data analysis of most probable results, scores and more for this match.
