AFCON2019: Interesting head-to-head stats as Eagles battle Bafana Bafana

The past days have been filled with intense build-up to what could easily pass as one of the most important games ever between South Africa and Nigeria at the ongoing AFCON 2019 tournament in Egypt.

Both teams will battle for a place in the semi finals today in Cairo.

Here are interesting heads-to-head stats ahead of the game at the stadium of horror.

• Nigeria are three-time African champions while Bafana Bafana won the tournament as hosts in 1996.
• South Africa beat Nigeria away in their opening match of the AFCON qualifiers in June 2017 and were held 1-1 in the return fixture.
• Nigeria have not won South Africa in their last five meetings.
• The last time Nigeria defeated the South African national team was in a CHAN group stage game on August 19 ,2014 where Super Eagles won by 3-1 in Cape Town.
• Ahmed Musa was the last Nigerian player to score against South Africa. it was in an international friendly in 2015 which ended in a 1-1 draw at Nelspruit.
• South Africa have only managed to beat the Super Eagles twice in all and only once in a competitive game.
• Nigeria’s first defeat against South Africa came in 2004. The 2-1 loss in 2004 was in friendly game used to mark Nelson Mandela’s birthday.
• In 1992, Nigeria thumped South Africa 4-0 in Lagos on their return to international football after years of being banned owing to apartheid rule back. It was their first head-to-head meeting.
• The most recent head-to-head meeting between the two sides was in August 2013 for the Nelson Mandela Challenge at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. Again Nigeria proved too much for South Africa by winning two-nil through Uche Nwofor’s brace of goals.

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Head to Head record:

• Nigeria 2-0 South Africa, semi-final in 2000
• Nigeria 4-0 South Africa, group stage in 2004

Total head-to-head matches played: 13

• Nigeria wins: 6
• South Africa wins: 2
• Draws: 5

See Breakdown below:

1. 10 Oct 1992 Nigeria v South Africa            4-0      FIFA World Cup
2. 16 Jan 1993 South Africa v Nigeria            0-0      FIFA World Cup
3. 10 Feb 2000 Nigeria v South Africa            2-0     Africa Cup of Nations
4. 31 Jan 2004 Nigeria v South Africa            4-0      Africa Cup of Nations
5. 17 Nov 2004 South Africa v Nigeria           2-1      International Friendly
6. 01 Jun 2008 Nigeria v South Africa            2-0      FIFA World Cup
7. 06 Sep 2008 South Africa v Nigeria            0-1      FIFA World Cup
8. 14 Aug 2013 South Africa v Nigeria           0-2       International Friendly
9. 10 Sep 2014 South Africa v Nigeria           0-0       Africa Cup of Nations
10. 19 Nov 2014 Nigeria v South Africa          2-2       Africa Cup of Nations
11. 29 Mar 2015 South Africa v Nigeria          1-1        International Friendly
12. 10 Jun 2017 Nigeria v South Africa L        0-2        Africa Cup of Nations
13. 17 Nov 2018 South Africa v Nigeria         1-1        Africa Cup of Nations