What Bafana need now
Nigeria first African side to grab one of continent’s five slots at World Cup
Senegalese striker Mame Niang feels the Lions of Teranga will be all the more determined to beat Bafana Bafana with the sentiment in that country being that they were robbed in their last encounter.
South Africa will face Senegal in a World Cup qualifier replay at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on November 10.
“I think it will be really tough for Bafana when they play Senegal because now they will have a point to prove after losing last year’s game,” Niang told Sowetan.
Fifa ordered the replay, citing suspicions of match manipulation by referee Joseph Lamptey when Bafana beat Senegal 2-1.
“The entire Senegal was upset after that match because we could see that something was not right with the referee’s decisions,” Niang added.
Group D has been blown wide open with Senegal leading with eight points, while Cape Verde and Burkina Faso are on six points, with Bafana sitting on four.
Bafana gave themselves a fighting chance with their 3-1 thrashing of the Burkinabe on Saturday, while Senegal beat Cape Verde 2-0 a few hours later.
The SA-Senegal second-leg match will be played at the Stade Leopold Senghor in Dakar on November 14.
Nigeria became the first African nation to qualify for the World Cup with their 1-0 win over Zambia on Saturday moved them into an unassailable lead in their group.
The other two groups remain in the balance and will be settled on the last match day in November. The African qualifiers come from the five group winners.