Bafana Bafana have announced their starting line-up for this afternoon’s FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Benin at Moses Mabhida Stadium.
The road to United States, Mexico and Canada starts this afternoon as South Africa will face Benin on match day one of CAF World Cup qualifiers.
The 1996 African Cup Of Nations winners have a chance to go top of the group after all other teams played to draws, including the shock 1-1 of Lesotho in Nigeria.
Bafana haven’t qualified for the FIFA World Cup since 2002 in South Korea, missing out on the editions in 2016, 2014, 2018 and 2022, while making the 2010 tournament as hosts.
Belgian coach Hugo Broos has been tasked to take the nation to the next World Cup in 2026 and he is currently unbeaten in 11 successive games.
Benin, meanwhile, who are coached by former Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr, are without a win in 12 successive games, losing seven of those games.
The two sides met each other once, in the group stages of the 2004 AFCON when Bafana won 2-0.
Here is how they line up:
Bafana XI: Williams, Mudau, Xulu, Mvala, Modiba, Sithole, Mokoena, Zwane, Tau, Hlongwane, Makgopa
Subs: Goss, Mothwa, Mobbie, Sibisi, Cross, Lepasa, Kekana, Mthethwa, Xoki, Appollis, Adams, Mokwana, Mayambela
Benin XI: Allagbe, Hountondji, Tijani, Moumini, Kiki, D’ Almeida, Olaitan, Kossi, Mounie, Hounton, Dossou
Subs: Dandjinou, Obassa, Sankamao, Fassinou, Ouorou, Ahlinvi, Dokou, Hassane, Sourou, Dossou, Gomez, Traore