Bafana Bafana assistant coach Helman Mkhalele discusses what it feels like to play the Super Eagles, 24 years after losing to them in the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals.
Nigeria and South Africa go head-to-head on Wednesday (7 February) at Stade Bouaké in Bouaké, Ivory Coast.
This will be the fourth encounter between Nigeria and South Africa at the CAF Africa Cup of Nations, with the Super Eagles winning the previous three by an aggregate score of 8-1.
Wednesday’s game against the Bafana Bafana is a repeat of the semifinal in 2000 when Nigeria won 2-0 in Lagos.
Helman Mkhalele insists South Africa feels no pressure and believes Bafana Bafana side have closed the gap against the Super Eagles of Nigeria
“Going forward from 2000, the Nigerians were always mocking us and saying bad things about us, but fortunately, over the years we started to close the gap,” Mkhalele told SABC Sport.
“Even now, today I still believe that as much as they claim dominance, they are no longer claiming it with that same confidence. So, that is what I believe our players will just carry (into the game) because they just want to make history for themselves,” Mkhalele said.
