South Africa vs Nigeria: Match preview, squad lists | AFCON 2019 qualifier

The Bafana Bafana of South Africa take on the Super Eagles of Nigeria in a battle for who picks the ticket to participate in the Africa cup of Nations in 2019.

The first leg at the Godswill Akpabio International stadium in Uyo saw the Bafana Bafana hand the Super Eagles a shock defeat, leaving Nigeria condemned to needing a win against the South Africans in tomorrow's AFCON qualifier.

On the other hand, the South Africans are under more pressure to defeat the Super Eagles, as they currently lie second in the group behind Group leaders Nigeria, who are on nine points.

The Bafana Bafana are yet to concede a single goal in the qualifiers so far, which shows how strong defensively they are.

Former South African coach Alexandro Heredia has opined that Nigeria are scared of their strikers ahead of the game on Saturday.

He told Goal.com, “Look, the hoodoo has been broken because we beat Nigeria 2-0 in Uyo, and that was a comfortable scoreline. I think they need to take their chances now to ensure that they get another win,”

“I am confident that we can beat Nigeria again because we have the best strike force in Africa. There is Lebo Mothiba, Dino Ndlovu, Percy Tau and Themba Zwane,” he said.

“I am sure they are scared of our strikers because we have one of the most talked about hot potatoes in Europe and that is Mothiba,”.

Meanwhile former Super Eagles mercurial midfielder Austin Jay Jay Okocha has stated that the pressure will be on the Bafana Bafana to get a win against the Super Eagles tomorrow.

He told South African online news outlet, KickOff.com, as quoted by Complete Sports Nigeria.

“It was a deserved victory for Bafana Bafana then, which I think we took a lesson from.”

“For me, most important is for the players to understand, which I’m sure they do, that it’s a game they can’t afford to lose if they want to qualify for AFCON.

“If we win, that’s our ticket to Cameroon, so the pressure is really more on Bafana Bafana, which makes it also an interesting match to watch.”

Below are the players called up for this crunch encounter.

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South Africa squad

Goalkeepers: Itumeleng Khume (Chiefs)‚ Ronwen Williams (Supersport)‚ Darren Keet (Wits).

Defenders: Ramahle Mphahlele (Chiefs)‚ Motjeka Madisha (Sundowns)‚ Siyanda Xulu (Maritzburg)‚ Thulani Hlatshwayo (Wits)‚ Innocent Maela (Pirates)‚ S’Fiso Hlanti (Wits)‚ Buhle MKhwanazi (Bidvest Wits)‚ Thamsanqa Mkhize (Cape Town City)

Midfielders: Vincent Pule (Pirates)‚ Lebogang Maboe (Sundowns)‚ Hlompho Kekana (Sundowns)‚ Fortune Makaringe (Maritzburg)‚ Teboho Mokoena (Supersport)‚ Samuel Mabunda (Sundowns)‚ Thembinkosi Lorch (Pirates)‚ Thulani Serero (SBV Vitesse)‚

Strikers: Themba Zwane (Sundowns)‚ Lebo Mothiba (Racing Club de Strasbourg FC)‚ Dino Ndlovu (Zhejiang Greentown FC‚ China)‚ Percy Tau (Royal Union Saint FC‚ Belgium)

Nigeria squad

Goalkeepers: Daniel Akpeyi (Chippa United‚ South Africa)‚ Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Enyimba)‚ Francis Uzoho (Elche‚ Spain)

Defenders: Ola Aina (Torino‚ Italy)‚ Semi Ajayi (Rotherham United‚ England)‚ Adeleye Aniyikaye (Ifeanyi Ubah FC)‚ Leon Balogun (Brighton and Hove Albion‚ England)‚ Jamilu Collins (Paderborn‚ Germany)‚ William Ekong Troost (Udinese‚ Italy)‚ Bryan Idowu (Lokomotiv Moscow‚ Russia)‚ Kenneth Omeruo (Leganes‚ Spain).

Midfielders: Mikel Agu (Vitoria Setubal‚ Portugal)‚ Oghenekaro Etebo (Stoke City‚ England)‚ John Ogu (Hapoel Be’er Sheva‚ Israel).

Forwards: Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal‚ Spain)‚ Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City‚ England)‚ Alex Iwobi (Arsenal‚ England)‚ Samuel Kalu (Girondins Bordeaux‚ France)‚ Ahmed Musa (Al Nasr‚ Saudi Arabia)‚ Victor Osimhen (Charleroi‚ Belgium)‚ Moses Simon (Levante‚ Spain)‚ Isaac Success (Watford‚ England).