Afcon 2021 Qualifier Preview and Prediction: Ghana v South Africa

13 November 2019, by: Carl Lewis

Afcon 2021 Qualifier Preview and Prediction: Ghana v South Africa

The 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign gets underway with a heavyweight clash in Group C between Ghana and South Africa. Both nations are favourites to earn qualification from Group C ahead of Sudan and Sao Tome and Principe.

First, Bafana Bafana face the toughest assignment in their qualifying group, they travel to group favourites Ghana in the opener.

After a decent Afcon where they produced a famous 1-0 win against the host nation Egypt in the last 16; Bafana lost in heart-breaking fashion against Nigeria with a late goal deciding the quarter-final.

Post Afcon, Stuart Baxter left his post as head coach with Molefi Ntseki taking charge. Ntseki got off to a winning start with a 2-1 win over Mali but now the serious work begins.

The last meeting between Ghana and South Africa finished as a goalless draw. The fixture before that also ended as a draw but with each nation grabbing a goal of their own. The last winner between the two nations came in 2015 with Ghana triumphing 2-1 at Afcon 2015.

The two nations have played each other in Ghana just three times, the results were a draw, one win for Ghana and one for South Africa. Ghana are certainly the favourites at home and have a greater recent history and pedigree.

 

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15 June 2019

Ghana 0-0 South Africa

11 October 2016

South Africa (A Patosi 52′) 1-1 (38′ W Mubarak) Ghana

27 January 2015

South Africa (M Masango 17′) 1-2 (J Boye 73′, A Ayew 83′) Ghana

 

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South Africa are without the injured Themba Zwane with Chiefs attacking midfielder Lebo Manyama replacing him. Afcon fullbacks Sifiso Hlanti and Thamsanqa Mkhize return to the squad after missing their last friendly match against Mali through injury. Also, Kermit Erasmus is back in the national team mix after a scintillating start to his season with Cape Town City.

Coach Kwesi Appiah called up seven new faces to his squad. The Ayew brothers Jordan and team captain Andre are in the squad and are both expected to start. The in-form Thomas Partey is also in the squad as well as the impressive attacker Alfred Duncan oo Sassuolo.

Expectations will be through the roof for the Ghanaians specifically to make amends for Afcon 2019. Molefi Ntseksi coach has hinted he’ll be happy with a draw in Accra.

Expect a defensive Bafana Bafana, similar to their Afcon exploits, where they’ll be compact and hope to hit Ghana on the counter-attack. A low scoring affair is highly possible.

Prediction: Ghana 1-0 South Africa

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