CAPE TOWN – Bafana Bafana are looking for their first ever competitive win over Nigeria in a grudge Afcon 2019 qualifier in Uyo on Saturday (6pm).
It’s never been done before, but South Africa attacker Lebogang Manyama says that “impossible is nothing” as he calls for a team effort to beat their hosts.
The 26-year-old Cape Town City ace probably knows what he’s talking about after top-scoring in the PSL to lead his team to a third-place finish in the league and a Telkom Knockout trophy in their first-ever season last term.
And he believes he and his teammates can upset the odds against the Super Eagles in SA’s first game under new coach Stuart Baxter.
"If you look at the talent that is here, it is amazing. Everybody that is in the squad is on top form and that is good for the team.
“Once we can contribute individually according to our strengths and mix it up with the team effort, it will turn out very well.
“I am just hoping that we can gel very quickly because it is going to be tough there but with the team that we have, impossible is nothing”, Manyama said.
Even though Bafana have never beaten the Nigerians in a competitive match – only winning one friendly (under Baxter in 2004) – they have had a good recent record against the west Africans.
Two draws in the qualification campaign for the 2015 tournament could be an indication that SA are closing the gap on the continental giants.
And Manyama believes a solid team effort will give the visitors all three points.
The City skipper says: “We know what Nigeria is capable of, we know about all the stars they have in their team but at the end of the day it is 11 v 11 and they are human beings like us, they are not unbeatable.
“We have to go there believing in what we can do, we have to believe in our strengths and not worry too much about them.
“If we put in a team effort when we get there, we will most likely come up with a good result in the end.”