With a win and a draw in the kitty, host South Africa is looking forward to a key match against African champion Nigeria in the last group A match of the ongoing 2014 African Nations Championship. South
Africa leads the group with four points after defeating Mozambique 3-1 in the tournament opener and drawing 1-1 with Mali.
The host will play Nigeria, third in the group on three points, on Sunday.
Mali, surprise winner against Nigeria in their opening match, is second in the group also on four points but inferior goals aggregate to South Africa. Mozambique takes the rear without a point.
“I think people underestimated the quality in this competition and we certainly have to get a result against Nigeria”, South Africa’s coach Gordon Igesund told journalists in Cape Town on Thursday.
PANA reports that Igesund has come under fire for changing the line-up from Saturday’s team that beat Mozambique.
Against Mali, Igesund made four changes to the line-up that started against Mozambique – Vuyo Mere, Lindokuhle Mbatha, Matthew Pattison and Edward Manqele.
They came in for Bryce Moon, Lerato Chabangu, Sibusiso Vilakazi and Katlego Mashego respectively.
The coach described the Mali match as “very difficult”, saying: “I have said before that they are a very difficult side to play against and at the end of the day the points shared is a fair result.”