Bafana Face Zambia For The 21st Time Today
Bafana v Zambia
Bafana Bafana will face Zambia in Ndola this evening, with the two nations meeting for the 21st time since they first locked horns in 1992.
Watch: Bafana's goal and penalties against Angola
Stuart Baxter's side is currently in Zambia as part of a Four Nations tournament that got underway on Wednesday, with South Africa securing a spot in the final after a penalty shootout victory over Angola.
The young striker, Lebo Mothiba, scored a backheel on his Bafana debut to make it 1-1, with Sibusiso Vilakazi scoring the decisive penalty following a Darren Keet save in the shootout.
If Bafana are going to win the tournament though, they will have to do something that they haven't done in more than three years, and that is beat Chipolopolo.
The last three meetings – all of which took place last year – left Zambia with two victories and a draw when they clashed in an international friendly in June and two African Nations Championship qualifiers in August.
To find Bafana's last victory over Zambia you have to go back to January 2015 when Thuso Phala scored a late winner in a friendly, and South Africa's last win in Zambia was when Aaron Mokoena – who is currently with the national team – scored to secure a 1-0 victory way back in 2006.
As things stand, Bafana's record v Zambia reads as follows:
Played: 20
Won: 5
Drawn: 8
Lost: 7
South Africa have scored 18 goals and conceded 22 against their neighbours from south of the continent, and Baxter will be looking for his ranks to add to the former over the weekend at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium.
Speaking from Ndola, the coach said, "What I want out of this is that we get some positive signs‚ both from the players who you think are leaders and from the ones who you think are contenders."
The game is scheduled to take place at 18:00 this evening.
