AFCON Draw Analysis: Breakdown for South Africa's National Soccer Team
The 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) is set to kick off in Ivory Coast, with four familiar faces returning to the tournament - South Africa, Tunisia, Mali, and Namibia.
South Africa, led by coach Iphraim 'Shakes' Mashaba, have a rich AFCON history and have been preparing for the tournament with matches against strong opponents like Morocco. The team's performance in the 2023 tournament, however, remains undocumented in terms of specific matches against these three teams.
Tunisia, finalists in AFCON before, have a notable victory over South Africa when they won their first AFCON title on home soil in 1996. While no direct 2023 AFCON matchup details with South Africa are given, Tunisia qualified for the tournament by finishing at the top of their group with a record of 4 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss. The Tunisian squad boasts key players such as Anis Ben Slimani, a 22-year-old midfielder who plays in the English Premier League for Sheffield United, and Manchester United midfielder Hannibal Mejbri.
Mali, another regular AFCON participant, has a head-to-head advantage against Bafana Bafana, leading 2-1 in their AFCON encounters. Mali's best performance in the tournament came in 1972, where they finished as runners-up.
Namibia, making their fourth appearance in the AFCON, last played in the tournament in 2019 and haven't progressed past the group stages. However, they have been one of the promising nations under a new generation of players and Coach Collins Benjamin. Namibia qualified for the tournament by finishing second behind Cameroon in a group that included Burundi. Despite playing qualification matches in a neutral venue, Namibia suffered only one loss in those four games.
Peter Shalulile, Namibia's all-time leading goalscorer, will be crucial for Namibia's performance in the tournament, given his experience playing in Africa for Mamelodi Sundowns.
In their head-to-head record, South Africa has the upper hand against Namibia, having won all 11 matches between the two nations, with their most recent encounter coming in 2016 where Bafana won 1-0.
As the 2023 AFCON tournament unfolds, fans will eagerly await the clashes between these four teams, hoping to see some exciting football and perhaps a change in the head-to-head records.
Football, with both South Africa and Namibia set to participate, promises an intriguing clash given South Africa's dominant record against Namibia in sports, having won all 11 previous encounters. Meanwhile, in the 2023 AFCON tournament, Mali, who have a head-to-head advantage against South Africa in sports, might also revisit their historical rivalry on the football field.
