Durban bodes well for Bafana

South Africa will defend an impressive record in Durban when they meet Mali in a 2013 Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal at the Moses Mabhida Stadium tomorrow.

It will be the 20th time Bafana Bafana have played in the city, with just one loss so far - a shambolic 2-1 friendly defeat at the hands of England in 2003 when coach Shakes Mashaba refused to select overseas players. He was ousted for the match and Jomo Sono drafted in.

Durban was also the scene of Bafana's first international after readmission - a 1-0 win over Cameroon in July 1992.

In fact, it took seven matches and 11 years for any opposition player to score against Bafana in KwaZulu-Natal. Gareth Southgate ended that run after just 36 seconds in the England game.

They have still conceded only 10 times in their 19 matches to date while scoring a healthy 33 goals themselves.

And claiming victory in six of their seven competitive games in the city, the only time they were held to anything but a win was a 2-2 draw against DR Congo in a 2006 Fifa World Cup qualifier.

Not surprisingly perhaps, given his roots in the province, Sibusiso Zuma is Bafana's top scorer in Durban, with six goals. Of the current group of players, Lerato Chabangu, Lehlohonolo Majoro, Siyabonga Sangweni and May Mahlangu all have two.

Bafana have played at four venues in the city - King's Park Rugby Stadium, Chatsworth Stadium, King Zwelithini Stadium, and, more recently, the Moses Mabhida Stadium, where they have won three and drawn three of their six matches to date.