Having bagged home wins against Egypt and Sierra Leone, Niger will go into Sunday’s game against South Africa knowing that there are more than just three points at stake as they seek to book the ticket to the 2012 African Cup of Nations in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
The six points which the Mena netted from those two games see them occupying second spot in the Group G standings, just two adrift of Bafana. Victory for the west Africans will propel them to the top and put them within touching distance of a first ever qualification for the Nations Cup finals.
Niger will certainly be banking on the home crowd, which is expected to fill the Stade General Seyni Kountche in Niamey and make life difficult for the visitors in the same way as they did against the Pharaohs and Leone Stars. History would suggest that a win for Niger is within reach, as SA have often found the going tough in the western part of the continent.
On 48 occasions since their readmission to international football, the 2010 World Cup hosts have only managed a 18 wins, 14 stalemates and 16 losses, scoring 51 times and conceding the same amount.
Niger will be looking to avenge the 2-0 away loss to South Africa in September last year.
Looking to break the hoodoo
South Africa go into this crunch encounter against Niger looking not just for a win, but also to rewrite history and begin a prosperous run of positive results in west Africa, where they have stumbled in recent memory.
Averaging just over one goal per game in that region of the continent since readmission to the international scene, Bafana, who are yet to concede a goal in this qualification campaign, will aim to build from the defence and keep another clean sheet while using counter attacking football to wear down their hosts.
Mosimane’s troops are on the verge of securing their ticket to Gabon and Equatorial Guinea and they are aware that this will definitely be not a walk in the park for them. A great deal of injuries have plagued the team during their preparations, affecting them negatively, and they will look to the experience of Teko Modise and stand-in skipper Siphiwe Tshabalala to steady the ship.
With the news that Egypt have decided to field the Under-23 side for the remaining matches, Bafana know that they cannot look for any favours from their rivals to make it to the continental competition.
TEAM NEWS
Niger
Niger have assembled a strong and experienced team and no niggling injuries have been reported from their camp.
South Africa
Bafana will be without four regular players due to injury. Captain Steven Pienaar, Reneilwe Letsholonyane and English-based duo Kagisho Dikgacoi and Davide Somma are not available. Also out injured are the Orlando Pirates duo of goalkeeper Moneeb Josephs and winger Tlou Segolela, who pulled out of the team due with injuries during the training camp this past week.
Ajax Cape Town goalkeeper Sean Roberts was called up to replace the Josephs. Mamelodi Sundowns’ Musa Nyatama is the only uncapped player in the team. There was some relief for the team when top striker Katlego Mphela was declared fit for the match after he suffered a knee injury scare. Modise returns to the squad for the first time in this year.
Probable Starting XI:
Khune, Ngcongca, Masilela, Gould, Sangweni, Jali, Khuboni, Tshabalala, Modise, Mphela, Parker
PREDICTION
South Africa are playing confidently and the gallant performances they displayed against Egypt in Cairo in front of a very hostile crowd means that they are favourites to win this one.
Niger 1-2 South Africa
