The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria-vs South Africa

  • SuperSport airs Nigeria vs South Africa live

    SuperSport will broadcast live the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier between Nigeria and South Africa from the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, today.

    All active DSTV Premium, Compact Plus and Compact subscribers will have access to the encounter on SS4, while GOTV Plus subscribers can watch on SS9 at 4:30 pm.

    Both teams are in qualifying Group E along with Seychelles and Libya for the 32nd African Cup of Nations holding in Cameroon next year. Tunisia’s Youssef Essrayri has been appointed as the referee for the match.

    With over 25 years of football rivalry, the Super Eagles of Nigeria leads against Bafana Bafana of South Africa with eight wins, three draws and one loss in 12 matches.

  • Emenike aims to end ‘goal drought’ against South Africa

    Emenike aims to end ‘goal drought’ against South Africa

    Super Eagles striker, Emmanuel Emenike, hopes to end his goals drought in Nigerian shirt in Wednesday’s African Nations Cup qualifier against South Africa, saying when his goals start coming again, they will come in a rush.

    Emenike has not scored for Nigeria since his brace in October 2013 World Cup play off against Ethiopia in Addis Ababa, africanFootball.com reports.

    But the Fenerbache striker is likely to start again ahead of new discovery Aaron Samuel, alongside Ahmed Musa and Ike Uche up front.

    “My target is to win the game and score some goals because it has been long since I scored in the national team, but am not worried because when the goals would start coming they would be in a rush,” he told africanFootball.com

    The 27-year-old striker, who debuted for Nigeria in 2011 against Sierra Leone in Lagos, said the African champions will defeat the South Africans to qualify for 2015 AFCON in Equatorial Guinea.

    “I think everyone is motivated and since we came back from Congo everyone has been training so hard. As you see that everyone is motivated,” Emenike said.

  • Keshi happy with Eagles’ showing against South Africa

    Keshi happy with Eagles’ showing against South Africa

    Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, has said the players performed better against South Africa than they did in their last game and will get better in subsequent matches

    Despite their goalless draw and just a point in two matches, Keshi has said he was happy with his team performance against the former African champions.

    The Super Eagles failed to fire and managed to avoid a consecutive loss as in the bid to qualify for Morocco 2015 African Nations Cup.

    “The game was not bad, I thought it was very good tactical play and a good play by Bafana,” Goal quoted Keshi as saying after the match.

    “A little bit of improvement from my players, a lot better than what we did on Saturday. We have not been together and it is taking time to gel. I’m not satisfied but I liked what I saw today.”

    Responding to questions about the inability of striker Emmanuel Emenike to find the net in recent games, Keshi said the Fenerbahce man will soon hit form.

    “If a striker doesn’t play good, doesn’t mean he’s not good. You see players in Europe who go 15 games without a goal, doesn’t mean he’s not there. Emenike, I have to believe he is there. When he starts scoring he won’t stop scoring,” the coach said.

    “We have not played together for three months. He plays in a different team with a different style, we need to come together and start playing our normal game.

    “Hopefully by October we should be there. I’m happy with the performance today and I know it’d be much better as this is just 60 per cent of our game.”

     

  • How to beat Nigeria – Former Bafana star

    How to beat Nigeria – Former Bafana star

    Ex- South African star, Nasief Morris, remembers the night he helped South Africa beat Nigeria at Ellis Park and offers some insight to the current generation.

    Bafana Bafana has defeated the Super Eagles only once in nine attempts, winning 2-1 in the November 2004 Nelson Mandela Challenge Cup.

    “From what I remember of that game, I think it was the way we approached the game. You can’t look at the team on paper and see the top clubs that the Nigerians play for. That won’t help,” Morris tells africanFootball.com

    “It’s inside the field that really counts the most. Our team has just beaten Sudan so we are confident and it’s really good for our team.

    “Let me say that we are playing at home on Wednesday so we must put them (Nigeria) under pressure and not give them the upper hand. Defensively we must be solid because I recall they did cause problems for us in 2004, even though we won. Their striker that night was Obafemi Martins and he had pace and we managed to stop them on their attacks.

    “If the defensive line keeps their shape and holds the line, then we have a chance at Cape Town Stadium. I know we have a fairly inexperienced team, but Nigeria also have a newer squad and they come off a loss at home to Congo.

    “For me, I believe the best form of defence is to attack, so the more we keep the ball and move it around then Nigeria have to chase the game. We used our pace and attacking players on that night, guys like Vilakazi, Buckley, Zuma and Leremi, and we got the result.”