A heavyweight continental clash is set for Tuesday evening as the Super Eagles of Nigeria take on the Bafana Bafana of South Africa at the Free State Toyota Stadium, Soccernet.ng reports.
Kick-off is 17:00 local time (16:00 GMT), and with both sides vying for top spot in Group C, the clash is one of the most anticipated on the continent.
Eric Chelle’s side put themselves back in contention after sealing a 1-0 win against Rwanda, courtesy of a lone goal by Tolu Arokodare.
However, Hugo Broos’ men took an even bigger leap towards qualification with a huge 3-0 victory over Lesotho.
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Nigeria vs South Africa: The journey so far
Both teams have experienced a contrast in fortunes. The Super Eagles have had three different coaches in their qualification journey, all in a bid to avoid the mistake that happened in 2022 – Jose Peseiro, Finidi George, and Eric Chelle.
However, two of those coaches were unable to secure a single win for the three-time AFCON Champions. Nigeria played two draws under Peseiro, lost one game and drew another under Finidi George.
Eric Chelle was the first man to put a win in the bag for the Super Eagles, securing the double win over Rwanda, although Nigeria drew against Zimbabwe back in March.
South Africa, on the other hand, have managed to turn a somewhat shaky start around. After defeating Gernot Rohr’s Benin Republic in their opening fixture, they lost to Rwanda. Since then, they’ve only dropped points once, and that was against Nigeria.
They’ve snatched three points from Zimbabwe, the Benin Republic and Lesotho, and are currently top of the group with 16 points and a positive goal difference (8), five points above second-placed Benin.
Head-to-head history
In recent times, both these teams have clashed more often, most notably in the semi-final of the AFCON 2023 tournament.
Looking over their previous nine meetings, the most common results have been stalemates with six draws between them. Outside of that, the Super Eagles have defeated Bafana Bafana twice, while Hugo Broos’ side have claimed just one victory.
Based on history, the likeliest outcome from Tuesday’s clash is a draw. In those nine games, Nigeria have scored ten goals and conceded nine.
Tactical outlook
Nigeria
Coach Eric Chelle‘s Super Eagles team looks to shape up in a 4-4-2 diamond, irrespective of the personnel involved.
During the 2025 Unity Cup at the Gtech Community Stadium in Brentford, the Franco-Malian tactician experimented with Samuel Chukwueze in the number 10 role, with Cyriel Dessers and Moses Simon playing up top.
Against Rwanda, the 47-year-old attempted the same thing, playing Ademola Lookman behind Moses Simon and Victor Osimhen.
Moses exploits the left flank with his pace and trickery to put in crosses for the strikers in the box while the midfielders remain compact, solely to keep the ball and win possession back.
Chelle’s tactics, most times, has left the right side of Nigeria’s attack desolate during games.
South Africa
Hugo Broos‘ South Africa leans towards defensive compactness and sharp counter-attacks.
With versatile formations and personnel rotations, the Bafana Bafana adjust well to high-pressure scenarios.
They are lethal when given space behind the defensive line, often springing forward through players like Burnley’s Lyle Foster and Oswin Appollis.
Match details
- Fixture: Nigeria vs South Africa
- Venue: Free State Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein, South Africa
- Kick-off: Tuesday, 16:00 GMT / 17:00 local time
- Competition: 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers (CAF Group C)
Notable absence
Nigeria: Victor Osimhen (Bruised shin), Akor Adams (Thigh Injury).
South Africa: Nyiko Mobbie (Fractured eye socket)
Possible Lineup
Nigeria (4-4-2): Stanley Nwabali; Ola Aina, William Troost-Ekong, Calvin Bassey, Bruno Onyemaechi; Wilfred Ndidi, Raphael Onyedika, Alex Iwobi; Ademola Lookman; Moses Simon, Cyriel Dessers.
South Africa (4-2-3-1): Ronwen Hayden Williams; Thabiso Monyane, Khulumani Ndamane, Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Aubrey Modiba; Thalente Mbatha, Teboho Mokoena; Oswin Appolis, Sipho Mbule, Mohau Nkota; Lyle Foster.