Bafana’s Durban date with Senegal

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Bafana Bafana will face Senegal at Moses Mabhida Stadium on February 29.

There’s good news for football fans in Durban: Bafana Bafana will play in the city this month.

The match is scheduled for February 29 at the Moses Mabhida Stadium. Their opponents are Senegal, who hope to restore damaged pride after being dumped out of the African Cup of Nations in the first round despite being one of the pre-tournament favourites.

The SA Football Association (Safa) are to host a press conference on Tuesday confirming the match, but the Sunday Tribune can reveal that the match has been given the go-ahead following a special sitting of the eThekwini Municipality’s Executive Committee (exco) on Friday morning.

Safa communications manager Dominic Chimhavi also said the match would go ahead. “We will be calling a press conference on Tuesday to confirm exactly what you are saying now.”

According to a report tabled before exco, the city was approached by Safa to host the match. The hosting of the match will cost R7 million, and the costs will be shared with the KwaZulu-Natal sports and recreation department.

“The Moses Mabhida Stadium has not hosted many major events since the 2010 Fifa World Cup. This is an opportunity to position the city and the venue as the preferred destination for major events in the country and the continent,” the report said.

This is only the second time Bafana Bafana would have played at the R3.1 billion facility. The only previous occasion was a pre-World Cup friendly against Namibia, a match the hosts drew 1-1 thanks to a Katlego Mphela goal.

Senegal are currently ranked fifth in Africa and 43rd in the world, compared with Bafana’s ranking of eighth in Africa and 56th globally.

South Africa will host next’s year’s Afcon and, therefore, don’t have to go through the qualification process.

Details of kick-off times and ticket prices have not yet been announced. – Sunday Tribune