The football rivalry between Nigeria and South Africa is one that evokes passion and excitement. This article delves into the history of encounters between the Nigeria national football team and the South Africa national soccer team, highlighting key matches, head-to-head records, and achievements in major tournaments.
South Africa vs Nigeria – Detailed Pre-Match Analysis
Head-to-Head Record
Nigeria currently come out on top when it comes to head-to-head performance, having won 7 games, drawn 5 and lost just two.
Here’s a detailed look at their encounters:
| Date | Competition | Winning Team | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 10, 1992 | FIFA World Cup | Nigeria | 4-0 |
| January 16, 1993 | FIFA World Cup | Draw | 0-0 |
| February 10, 2000 | AFCON | Nigeria | 2-0 |
| January 31, 2004 | AFCON | Nigeria | 4-0 |
| November 17, 2004 | Friendly | South Africa | 2-1 |
| June 01, 2008 | FIFA World Cup | Nigeria | 2-0 |
| September 06, 2008 | FIFA World Cup | Nigeria | 1-0 |
| August 14, 2013 | Friendly | Nigeria | 2-0 |
| September 10, 2014 | AFCON | Draw | 0-0 |
| November 19, 2014 | AFCON | Draw | 2-2 |
| March 29, 2015 | Friendly | Draw | 1-1 |
| June 10, 2017 | AFCON | South Africa | 2-0 |
| November 17, 2019 | AFCON | Draw | 1-1 |
| July 10, 2019 | AFCON | Nigeria | 2-1 |
AFCON Performances
Out of seven final appearances, Nigeria have been crowned AFCON champions on three occasions. South Africa have won AFCON just once.
Memorable Matches
They last met at the 2019 edition of AFCON held in Egypt. Bafana Bafana met hosts Egypt in the Round of 16 and beat them 1-0, whilst the Super Eagles overcame Cameroon with a 3-2 victory thanks to a winning goal from Alex Iwobi. A first-half goal from Samuel Chukwueze set Nigeria up nicely, before Bongani Zungu equalised with 20 minutes to play.
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Additional Achievements
Nigeria took Gold for Football at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, and picked up Silver in 2008 at the Beijing Games. Nigeria have never won the FIFA World Cup.
Despite spending 30 years banned from the competition, due to the apartheid, South Africa has since emerged as a footballing powerhouse.
The game is scheduled for a 17:00 local time kick-off, which is 17:00 GMT and 18:00 CET. 2023 AFCON, held in 2024, is available to watch live across Africa and the rest of the world.
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