Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams has declared that South Africa are not afraid of Nigeria as both sides prepare for their crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying clash at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein on Tuesday.
South Africa currently lead Group C with 16 points, while Nigeria sit third on 10 points after seven matches. A victory for Bafana Bafana would all but guarantee their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The Super Eagles remain unbeaten against South Africa in competitive matches played on South African soil, but Williams believes his side are edging closer to breaking that jinx, while head coach Hugo Broos will be hoping to lead his men to their first-ever competitive win over Nigeria on home soil.
“That’s the history they’ve had over us, we haven’t beaten them in a very long time. But we’ve had positive results, like going to Nigeria last year. It was difficult, yet we came away with a result, and the way we played showed that we’re growing as a team,” Williams said at the pre-match press conference.
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“We’re getting closer and closer to beating them. We saw it at AFCON, we saw it when we played them away in Nigeria. Hopefully, we can take that extra step and change the narrative.
“If you look at the head-to-head, of course, they still have the bragging rights. But hopefully, we can show that there’s a new chapter for Bafana Bafana and give the Amapiano guys something to celebrate.”
For Nigeria, the stakes are just as high. To keep their qualification hopes alive, the Super Eagles must win all of their remaining three Group C matches, starting with Tuesday’s showdown in Bloemfontein.
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