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Rare trip to Ghana for Bafana Bafana

Bafana Bafana will play just a third ever international fixture against the Black Stars in Ghana tomorrow when they start their 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification campaign in Cape Coast.

Overall, the two countries have met on 11 previous occasions, with South Africa leading the head-to-head 5-3, and a further three draws.

But games between the two in the west African country have been rare and the previous two occasions have produced a mixed bag for South Africa.

Their first was a Nations Cup quarterfinal in 2000 in Kumasi when Ghana were co-hosts and Bafana knocked them out with a 1-0 victory, much to the devastation of the home fans.

Siyabonga Nomvethe got the only goal of the game in the 42nd minute, and Bafana had to play much of the second period with 10 men after Eric Tinkler received his marching orders shortly after halftime.

But that side, coached by Trott Moloto and including Lucas Radebe as captain and the likes of Mark Fish, John Moshoeu, Quinton Fortune and Shaun Bartlett clung on for the win.

The team would return to Kumasi four years later for a World Cup qualifier and this time it would be a different story as a generation of new Black Stars cruised to a 3-0 win.

Sulley Muntari and a brace from Stephen Appiah did the damage as Ghana were simply too good for the South Africans, a rude awakening for coach Stuart Baxter early in his tenure.

Michael Essien, Asamoah Gyan, Sammy Kuffour and Jonathan Mensah were other star names in that Ghana side.

Bafana now return to play Ghana away from home for the first time in 15 years, though they did compete at the 2008 Nations Cup finals in the country, where they exited in the first round. – Mzansi Football

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