The South African national football team, Bafana Bafana, is set to make history today as they face South Sudan in their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Juba.
This will be the first time the two teams have met, making South Sudan the 49th African country Bafana has played against.
“We are excited to make history and take on a new challenge,” said Bafana coach, Hugo Broos. “We know very little about South Sudan, but we are prepared for anything.”
This match marks a significant milestone for Bafana, who have now played against all but four African countries – Djibouti, Eritrea, Somalia, and Togo.
“We have a proud history in African football, and we want to continue that tradition,” said Bafana captain, Ronwen Williams. “We will give it our all and make South Africa proud.”
South Sudan, who joined FIFA in 2012, has only won two competitive internationals and will be looking to cause an upset against the more experienced Bafana side.
“We may be the underdogs, but we are determined to make a statement,” said South Sudan coach, Stefano Cusin. “We will give it our all and make our country proud.”
The match kicks off at 17:00 CAT and promises to be an exciting encounter between two teams looking to make their mark in African football.