Bafana Bafana are not the only country that will be looking to make up for their failure to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) by striving to book a ticket to the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Nigeria will also be keen to qualify for the quadrennial global showpiece after the disappointment of not making it to next year’s biennial continental tournament that will be played in Gabon.
The Super Eagles have had a bit of a rough time since being crowned champions back in 2013 in South Africa.
They missed out on defending their title at last year’s event after being beaten to the qualification spot by their nemesis Bafana Bafana.
As if that was not bad enough, the West Africans lost out to Egypt in the qualifiers for the 2017 tournament.
Such failure is not in living with Nigeria’s status as a giant of the game on the continent and so they will be like a wounded tiger when they begin their bid for a sixth World Cup appearance.
They are away to Zambia, former continental champions who have also surprisingly missed out on Gabon 2017, in Ndola.
While they might be favourites, Nigeria will not have it all their way against Wedson Nyirenda’s Chipolopolo who will be buoyed on by a partisan crowd.
With their club ZESCO United having had a brilliant run in the CAF Champions League where they reached the semi-finals, Zambia will not be lacking for confidence.
And a good result at home would set them up nicely for a chance to pull off what would be a shock in arguably the qualifiers’ Group of Death.
Also in the mix in this group are Algeria and Cameroon, both former participants at previous World Cups.
The Zambians are aware that they are seen as the group’s whipping boys but they see that as motivation to go and prove their detractors wrong.
“When the media say you are no-hopers and certain to finish last, that motivates you,” Zambia’s goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene said. “Deep down, Algeria, Cameroon and Nigeria know it is not going to be easy playing against us. Being outsiders suits us just fine.”
There are other fascinating clashes this weekend with Ghana kick-starting the qualifiers by welcoming Uganda to Tamale late this afternoon and the Ivory Coast hosting Mali in Bouake tomorrow night.
Only the five group winners qualify for the World Cup.
The Star