Bafana held to dull 0-0 draw against Eswatini

13 October 2023 - 20:06
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JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - OCTOBER 13: Lyle Foster of South Africa and Mcolisi Manana,philani Mkhontfo of Eswatini during the international friendly match between South Africa and Eswatini at FNB Stadium on October 13, 2023 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images)
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - OCTOBER 13: Lyle Foster of South Africa and Mcolisi Manana,philani Mkhontfo of Eswatini during the international friendly match between South Africa and Eswatini at FNB Stadium on October 13, 2023 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images)
Image: Lefty Shivambu

A full-strength Bafana Bafana huffed and puffed to a disappointing 0-0 draw against lowly-ranked neighbours Eswatini in an international friendly played at an empty FNB Stadium on Friday.

The match forms part of Bafana's preparation for the start of the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers in November and the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in January.

Hugo Broos' team performance failed to raise hopes of them doing anything better in the upcoming challenges as Bafana battled to create clear-cut chances against a side they were expected to wallop. 

Broos started the match with his strongest line-up against Eswatini, ranked 144th in the world. Though Bafana had better possession and chances in both halves they failed to take advantage of them.

Bafana face Benin and Rwanda next month and then meet Tunisia, Mali and Namibia, the teams they were drawn against this week in Group E.

But Bafana will first meet Ivory Coast, the hosts of the 2023 Afcon, in a friendly in Abidjan on Tuesday night (9pm, SA time) before starting final preparations for the start of the World Cup qualifiers and the Afcon next year. 


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