South Africa’s 1996 AFCON winning captain, Neil Tovey, has advised Bafana Bafana players what they must against Nigeria in Wednesday’s semi-final in Bouake.
Bafana Bafana will be seeking a first-ever AFCON win against the Super Eagles.
In the three previous meetings, the Eagles have emerged victorious- a 2-0 semi-finals win in 2000, a 4-0 triumph in the group stage in 2004 and a 2-1 quarter-final win in 2019.
Going into Wednesday’s clash, South Africa and Nigeria have kept four consecutive clean sheets after they conceded in their opening fixtures against Mali and Equatorial Guinea respectively.
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“It is going to be very tough against Nigeria — a final before the final,” Tovey told AFP via Daily Mail.
“We have suffered many defeats against them, starting with a four-goal mauling in a 1994 World Cup qualifier. More recently, however, the tide has begun to turn.
“What we dare not do in Bouake is retreat into a defensive shell. That would be playing into the hands of the Nigerians.
“South Africa must approach the match in a similar manner to the game against Morocco — defend in depth when necessary but also apply pressure.”
A win for Bafana against the Eagles will see them reach a first AFCON final since 1998.
