South Africa will take on South Sudan in a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying game at Cape Town Stadium on Tuesday.
The clash will have no bearing on the qualification status of either team, as the hosts have already secured their place mathematically, while the visitors are already eliminated.
Match preview
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South Africa confirmed their spot at the 2025 AFCON in Morocco with a 2-0 win away at Uganda on Friday, thanks to two second-half goals from Thapelo Morena and Patrick Maswanganyi.
The victory took Bafana Bafana to the top of Group K with 11 points after five matches, while it also saw them maintain their unbeaten run in the AFCON qualifiers, winning three and drawing two.
Since finishing third at the last AFCON in Ivory Coast, Hugo Broos's side have played 12 games across all competitions and have remained unbeaten, with a record of five wins and seven draws, while scoring in every game except one in that run.
South Africa will head into Tuesday's game with the hope of going through the entire qualifying campaign unbeaten, in what will be just their second encounter against the visitors after a 3-2 win in the first leg.
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South Sudan might have been officially out of contention for an AFCON ticket before the last match day, but going through qualifying without any points would have been embarrassing.
However, the Bright Stars finally registered a point on the board with a 3-2 victory over Congo last time out, thanks to a brace from Malish Ezibon Wajo to restore parity twice in the game and a late goal from Data Elly to win it.
Prior to Thursday's win over Congo, South Sudan's only victories since September 2023 have come against Kenya in an international friendly and in the African Nations Championship qualifiers.
Tuesday's visitors will hope to build on their recent success, but a run of six away matches without a win leaves a lot of doubt in their ability to do that.
Team News
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Morena and Maswanganyi came off the bench to score last time out, and this could see them start for South Africa on Tuesday.
We expect to see several changes from Broos for this clash, with the likes of Iqraam Rayners and Thalente Mbatha coming into the starting XI.
After Wajo's brace against Congo, he will be the man to watch for South Sudan when they take to the pitch on Tuesday.
Yohanna Juma and Valentino Yuel, who have scored one goal each, are the two expected to join Wajo to form the attacking trio.
South Africa possible starting lineup:
Williams; Mudau, Basadien, Mvala, Mobbie; Mokoena, Aubaas; Morena, Maswanganyi, Appollis; Rayners
South Sudan possible starting lineup:
Jenaro; Taban, Thomas, Pal; Atendele, Gama, Chol, Okocha; Jawa, Leku, Juma
We say: South Africa 2-0 South Sudan
Given South Africa's hot streak since the last AFCON, anything less than three points for them would be a shock, which is why we are backing the hosts to cruise to a relatively routine victory at the end of the 90 minutes.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
