AFCON
Bafana Bafana Come With Intimidating Record
Nigeria may have been having the upper hands in the past encounters with the South African national team, but the squad arriving through Lagos on Wednesday night comes with in intimidating credentials.
Sports Village Square gathered from South African sources that the Bafana Bafana team has remained unbeaten in 17 consecutive matches.
This is two matches shot of the longest unbeaten run Nigeria ever had when the late Stephen Keshi had 19-match unbeaten run from June 3, 2012 lone goal defeat of Namibia in Calabar till Diego Forlan inspired Uruguay to a 2-1 in the June 20, 2013 FIFA Confederation Cup tie in Salvador, Brazil.
But South Africa’s 17-game unbeaten run will face one of its most acidic tests on Saturday when they meet Super Eagles.
According to South African sources, Bafana Bafana has not tasted defeat since a losing 2-0 at home to Angola in an African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier in October 2015.
Since then they have beaten Egypt and Senegal‚ and drawn with African champions Cameroon (twice) though all but one of those matches was at home.
But the South African publication, Timeslive wrongly believes it is the longest unbeaten run by an African nation. But the publication conceded that many of the continent’s top teams have faced much stiffer opposition than Bafana over the last two years.
Eight of Bafana’s matches have been against teams from the COSAFA region‚ who they rarely lose to‚ while also included in the run are games against Gambia‚ Mauritania and Guinea-Bissau‚ matches South Africa would also expect to at least draw.
“Facing nemesis Nigeria away is a different proposition‚ though if they can avoid defeat will be confident of extending their unbeaten run considerably further with Zambia and then the COSAFA Castle Cup to come at home‚ as well as home and away ties with Botswana in the (CHAN) qualifiers in July.
On the other hand, Nigeria have only lost one competitive fixture at home in 36 years‚ a shock 3-2 loss to Congo-Brazzaville in 2014‚ which is also their only ever home loss in the Nations Cup qualifiers since they first entered the preliminary competition in 1961.
In Bafana’s current unbeaten run they have won nine matches and drawn eight. BAFANA BAFANA’S UNBEATEN RUN
24/10/15 (a) v Angola 2-1 (Fabrício 29’og‚ Lakay 90’)
13/11/15 (a) v Angola 3-1 (Rantie 13’‚ Gabuza 20’‚ Jali 80’pen)
17/11/15 (h) v Angola 1-0 (Diniz 69’og)
26/03/16 (a) v Cameroon 2-2 (Rantie 17’‚ Kekana 50’)
29/03/16 (h) v Cameroon 0-0
05/06/16 (a) v Gambia 4-0 (Gabuza 30’‚ 38’‚ Dolly 56’‚ 80’)
18/06/16 (a) v Lesotho 1-1 (Motupa 66’)
22/06/16 (a) v Swaziland 5-1 (Kutumela 52’‚ Phiri 57’‚ Masuku 60’‚ 83’‚ Moseamedi 75’)
25/06/16 (a) v Botswana 3-2 (Motupa 33’pen‚ 88’pen‚ Kutumela 66’)
02/09/16 (h) v Mauritania 1-1 (Kekana 26’)
06/09/16 (h) v Egypt 1-0 (Makola 7’)
08/10/16 (a) v Burkina Faso 1-1 (Furman 80’)
11/10/16 (h) v Ghana 1-1 (Patosi 52’)
12/11/16 (h) v Senegal 2-1 (Hlatshwayo 43’pen‚ Serero 45’)
16/11/16 (a) v Mozambique 1-1 (Grobler 56’)
25/03/17 (h) v Guinea-Bissau 3-1 (Erasmus 35’pen‚ Tau 69’‚ Jali 89’pen)
28/03/17 (h) v Angola 0-0
Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe would welcome an investigation into corruption at the organisation, saying they have nothing to hide following a meeting with Senegalese officials in Dakar on Wednesday.
Senegal’s government last month demanded an investigation into corruption after the country was stripped of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title by the CAF Appeal Board, and the trophy was awarded to the final opponents, Morocco.
It follows unruly scenes in the January 18 decider in Rabat that Senegal won 1-0, but during which they left the field for several minutes in protest at a late refereeing decision.
Motsepe met with officials from the Senegalese Football Federation and Senegal president Bassirou Diomaye Faye on Wednesday, where he urged unity following the fallout from the final. He will be in Morocco on Thursday for a similar set of meetings.
“I would welcome any investigation into corruption at CAF, be it by a government or any institution,” Motsepe told reporters. “In fact, I would encourage it. We will give them our full cooperation.
“I have been told there were problems in the past and we intervened. It is not just in football, but in business and politics too. We cannot give our children the perception that if you want to succeed in life, be corrupt. There has to be zero tolerance (for corruption).
“That’s the best gift we can give football in Africa. Not just talking about corruption, but intervene, put the necessary laws in place) and implement them.”
Motsepe would not be drawn on the matter between Senegal and Morocco, which is now before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
“There is nothing I can tell you that I haven’t said already 10, 15, 20 times. You can ask me the same question 100 times, I’ll give you the same answer 100 times. I have an obligation to respect that the matter is now in front of the highest (sports) court in the world.”
Motsepe quashed any suggestion that Morocco had been treated favourably in the appeal process.
“Under no circumstances will any single country in Africa be treated more preferentially or more favourably than any other. That will never happen,” he said.
“We are confident we will come out of these challenges more united amongst the 54 nations in Africa.”
-Reuters
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By Kunle Solaja.
Patrice Motsepe has intensified his diplomatic shuttle across African football corridors with a crucial visit to Morocco scheduled for Thursday, as the fallout from the controversial AFCON 2025 Final continues to reverberate across the continent.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirmed that Motsepe will meet with Fouzi Lekjaa, President of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF), alongside other key stakeholders within Morocco’s football ecosystem.
Fouzi Lekjaa, President of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF)
The high-level engagement in Rabat comes barely 24 hours after Motsepe’s crisis-management visit to Senegal, underlining CAF’s urgency in addressing the tensions and conflicting reports that have trailed the AFCON final.
Thursday’s meeting is expected to focus on fact-finding, reconciliation, and institutional alignment following the chaotic circumstances that marred the tournament’s climax. The Moroccan FA has been central to the unfolding controversy, with administrative and refereeing decisions from the final still under scrutiny.
CAF disclosed that the visit will conclude with a press conference in Rabat at 17:00 local time (16:00 GMT), where Motsepe is expected to address the media and possibly provide updates on CAF’s ongoing review of the final.
While details of the agenda remain closely guarded, the visit signals a continuation of Motsepe’s hands-on approach to crisis resolution, engaging directly with national federations in a bid to preserve the integrity of African football competitions.
CAF and the FRMF have indicated that further details regarding the outcomes of the visit will be communicated in due course, as stakeholders across the continent await clarity on one of the most contentious finals in recent AFCON history.
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CAF President Patrice Motsepe is set to visit Senegal on Wednesday for high-level talks with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and the leadership of the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football, in what is widely seen as a crucial diplomatic move amid lingering controversy over the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Final.
The visit comes against the backdrop of the chaotic and disputed AFCON 2025 final in Rabat, a match marred by heavy rainfall, administrative confusion, and conflicting official reports from within CAF and its committees.
The uncertainty surrounding the outcome of that final has cast a shadow over African football governance, prompting urgent calls for clarity and institutional accountability.
Sources indicate that Motsepe’s meeting with President Faye will extend beyond routine courtesy, touching on broader issues of football governance, tournament integrity, and the role of national associations in safeguarding the credibility of continental competitions.
Senegal, a major stakeholder in African football and one of the continent’s most influential football nations, is expected to play a key role in shaping the narrative going forward.
Motsepe will also hold discussions with Abdoulaye Fall, focusing on collaboration between CAF and its member associations, as well as mechanisms to prevent a recurrence of the controversies that plagued the AFCON final.
While CAF has yet to officially outline the agenda, observers believe the visit signals an attempt by the continental body to consolidate support among key football nations and manage the fallout from the final’s unresolved issues.
The optics of engaging directly with political leadership further underline the seriousness of the situation.
CAF and the Senegalese Football Federation have both stated that more details regarding the visit will be released in due course, leaving stakeholders across the continent watching closely for signals on how African football’s governing body intends to restore confidence in its competitions.
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