Sparks will fly as familiar foes South Africa and Namibia meet at the Africa Cup of Nations. Which of these teams will be left standing after this game?
South Africa vs Namibia overview
This Group E clash will take place at the Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium in Korhogo on Sunday January 21. Kick-off time is 9 pm WAT.
South Africa
South Africa's AFCON campaign got off to a rough start, as they suffered a 2-0 loss to Mali in their opening match. Hugo Broos will look to steer his team back on course as they take on Namibia this weekend.
This is a must-win for Bafana Bafana, as a loss will all but end their quest for a second AFCON title.
Namibia
On the other hand, Namibia were the clear underdogs in their AFCON opener against Tunisia. However, they held their own against the 2004 champions, winning by a lone goal.
Collin Benjamin's men will advance to the knockout stages if they win this match, and that's exactly what they'll set out to do.
South Africa vs Namibia head to head
Interestingly, Namibia came out on top when these teams first met in January 1998. While they won two of three skirmishes between these teams in the 90s, the Namibians have been unable to beat Bafana Bafana since then.
As it stands, South Africa have no losses in the last 10 skirmishes between these outfits, with six wins and four draws.
Also, the only other time these teams clashed at the AFCON was in 1998. As it stands, South Africa have more wins (7) than they have draws (4) and losses (2) combined vs Namibia.
The most recent clash between South Africa and Namibia took place in a friendly match in September last year. The spoils were shared the last three times these sides squared off against each other.
South Africa vs Namibia potential lineups
Hugo Broos is expected to use a 4-4-2 formation for this match, with Orlando Pirates' Evidence Makgopa and Mamelodi Sundowns' Themba Zwane leading the attack.
On the other hand, the Namibians will likely line up in a 4-1-4-1 formation, with Peter Shalulile being the lone forward.
Interestingly, Bafana Bafana's goalkeeper, and three of their four defenders currently play for Mamelodi Sundowns. It'll be interesting to see how they'll fare against Namibia's Shalulile, who is one of the top scorers for the Sundowns this season.
Bearing that in mind, these are our South Africa vs Namibia lineups:
South Africa
Goalkeeper: Ronwen Williams.
Defenders: Aubrey Modiba, Mothobi Mvala, Siyanda
Xulu, Khuliso Mudau.
Midfielders: Thapelo Maseko, Sphephelo Sithole,
Teboho Mokoena, Percy Tau.
Forwards: Evidence Makgopa, Themba Zwane.
Namibia
Goalkeeper: Junior Kazapua.
Defenders: Riaan Hanamub, Lubeni Haukongo, Kennedy
Amutenya, Ryan Nyambe.
Midfielders: Aprocius Petrus, Deon Hotto, Menelik
Tjiueza, Petrus Shitembi, Absalom Limbondi.
Forwards: Peter Shalulile.
South Africa vs Namibia tactical analysis
Bafana Bafana have not particularly enjoyed their best form in recent weeks. They are on a three-match winless run, with a draw and two losses.
What's more? Hugo Broos' men did not score a single goal in their last three games.
This is in contrast with Namibia, who are in a three-match unbeaten run, with two wins and a draw. They did not concede any goals in their last three games.
South Africa vs Namibia prediction
Clashes between these outfits have historically been on the low-scoring side, as nine of their last 11 meetings went south of the 2.5 goal marker.
Furthermore, these teams have both been involved in a lot of low-scoring games lately. Less than three goals were scored in eight of South Africa's last nine matches. Considering this was also the case with Namibia's last six games, our South Africa vs Namibia prediction is under 2.5 total goals.
Where to watch South Africa vs Namibia live
This match will be broadcast on SABC and Supersport for fans who reside in South Africa.
On the other hand, Namibians can tune into Supersport Football Plus for live coverage of this match.
