EXCLUSIVE: Dele Olorundare says South Africa are out for revenge against Nigeria
The Super Eagles denied Bafana Bafana a place in the final of the biennial African football showpiece hosted by Cote d’Ivoire.
With the score tied 1-1 after 120 minutes at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake, Jose Peseiro progressed via penalties after goalkeeper Stanley Nwabili was the hero following two saves.
Both teams meet again in Friday’s FIFA World Cup qualifiers at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, and the ex-international is wary of the threat posed by Hugo Broos’ men in the important fixture.
“This fixture is more than a World Cup qualifier, it is all about revenge for the South African national team and they want show what happened at AFCON 2023 was a huge mistake,” Olorundare told Flashcore in an exclusive interview.
“Also, they understand that anything short of victory would be a significant setback in their quest for a World Cup ticket, and recalling their last visit to Uyo, where they secured a 2-0 win, they will approach this encounter with hopes of repeating that result.
“The match will be challenging for the Super Eagles, but with the quality in Coach Finidi George's squad, they can secure the win. However, they must remain vigilant and avoid complacency.”
Nigeria first faced South Africa in a qualifying series during the race for the 1994 FIFA World Cup. This match marked their first international encounter, with the West Africans triumphing 4-0 at the National Stadium in Lagos.
Overall, both countries have met eight times, with the Super Eagles winning three matches and Bafana Bafana securing a notable victory against the Super Eagles in 2018. The remaining four encounters ended in draws.
He recalled: “I still remember that match; the Super Eagles made every mistake possible. I believe our boys underestimated the South Africans due to past records, and they paid dearly for it.
“Nigerians called for Gernot Rohr's dismissal, but that defeat turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as it spurred the team to take their qualification for the Nations Cup more seriously.
“This time, nothing short of victory will be acceptable because we are not in a strong position on the table. I hope everything works in our favor and we qualify for the 2026 World Cup after missing out on the 2022 edition.”
Meanwhile, South Africa's coach, Broos, mentioned that his team has moved past their AFCON loss and emphasized that the pressure is now on the three-time African champions.
“We’re no longer afraid, not scared of Nigeria’s ‘Super players’. The onus is on Nigeria Not to disappoint their fans who missed the glamour of the last World Cup in Qatar because the Super Eagles did not participate,” he told the media.
“So, they have to now prove to their fans that their 2023 AFCON feat was not a fluke. We have made our mark and South Africans now believe in Bafana Bafana.
“We proved this during the last Nations Cup, hence our fans in South Africa believe in Bafana Bafana because of their 2023 Nations Cup feat.
“We’ve put behind the AFCON defeat to Super Eagles. The penalty against us paved the way for that (Eagles’ win). But this time, it’s going to be a straight game, a win, a draw, or loss.
“We’re no longer scared about Nigeria’s Super Eagles, having demystified them at the Nations Cup.”
Nigeria head to Abidjan’s Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny on Monday for a showdown with Gernot Rohr’s Benin Republic.
The Squirrels silenced Rwanda 1-0 on Thursday, with Smouha star Dodo Dokou scoring the decisive goal in the first half thanks to an assist by Jodel Dossou.
With that result, they move to second having accrued four points from three matches played so far.
Super Eagles missed out on Qatar 2022 following a play-off defeat to eternal rivals Ghana. They last qualified for the global football tournament in Russia in 2018. There, they crashed out during the group stage.
