Bafana Bafana’s captain Ronwen Williams hopes the “Amapiano Boys” will finally have the last laugh when they face their “Afrobeats” counterparts, Nigeria, in Bloemfontein on Tuesday.
South Africa will host the Super Eagles in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier at Toyota Stadium, with a 6pm kick-off. A victory would edge Bafana Bafana closer to securing a place at the global showpiece in North America – Canada, the US, and Mexico. South Africa currently tops Group C with 16 points, 10 ahead of third-placed Nigeria.
Bafana have made significant strides over the years, including a third-place finish at the last AFCON and qualification for the continental event in Morocco in December, but they have not beaten Nigeria since 2017.
The last two encounters ended in draws: a 1-1 World Cup qualifier in Uyo and a penalty shoot-out defeat in the AFCON semi-final in Ivory Coast following a stalemate after extra time.
Williams remains optimistic that the eight-year drought can end in front of what is expected to be a sold-out crowd. “We should treat this match like any other game – play the same way we’ve been playing, with the same mentality and spirit,” he said during Monday’s pre-match press conference.
“We have played Nigeria twice in the last two years and have the experience. We haven’t lost to them in open play. We went away to them and got a result, so there’s nothing to fear!”
The rivalry between Bafana and Nigeria extends beyond football, with ongoing debates about whether South Africa’s Amapiano genre is superior to Nigeria’s Afrobeats. Williams hopes this match will settle the matter on the pitch.
“Hopefully, (Tuesday night) we can show there’s a new leaf for Bafana, and the Amapiano Boys can be happy,” Williams added, aiming for their first win over Nigeria in eight years.
