Ghana will hope to begin the new era of igniting passion and trying to steal back the love from the fans with victory over South Africa in the Afcon 2021 opener this evening at the Cape Coast Stadium.

The future of coach Kwasi Appiah is vague with reports saying he has these two Afcon matches to stake a claim for a contract extension or otherwise.

For Bafana Bafana after years of trying experience heads like Shakes Ephraim Mashaba and Stuart Baxter with very little success they have now decided to take a gamble with the perpetual assistant Molefe Ntseki who for most part of his twenty year career has been an assistant serving under Shakes Mashaba and Stuart Baxter.

Although he was responsible for taking the South African national u-17 to its very first FIFA World Cup in their history

He then went to be an assistant coach for the national u-20, u-23.

In his first match he won against a depleted Malian side 2-1 in the Nelson Mandela Cup played at home.

Both teams were present at the Afcon 2019 where the Black Stars reached the round of 16 before they were eliminated by Tunisia while the Bafana Bafana after negotiating a tricky group went to the quarter finals before they were dumped out of the tourney by Nigeria.

What is the kick off time?

The match will start at exactly 19:00 GMT.

Kwesi Appiah of Ghana v Kenya in Afcon qualifier.

Team news – Ghana

The Ghana squad has been ravaged by injuries with some key players like Mubarak Wakaso ,Mohammed Salisu, Harrison Afful and Lumor Agbenyenu all pulling out of the squad due to injury concerns.

Nonetheless key players like the Ayew brothers who have been in some rich vein of form for their club side are still available with Christopher Antwi Adjei resolving his passport issues to be with the squad although this game may be too soon for him.

However, the injured players have been replaced by Fatawu Mohammed ,Gideon Mensah and Joseph Attamah Larweh.

Molefi Ntseki, Bafana Bafana coach, 2018

Team News – South Africa

Kaizer Chiefs forward Lebogang Manyama is back in the squad for the first time since 2017 as a replacement for the injured Themba Zwane. There are no other injuries in the team.

Aside the injured Themba Zwane both Sifiso Hlanti and Thamsanqa Mkhize make a return to the squad after missing their last friendly match against Mali through injury.

Key players – Ghana

The Ayew brother will undoubtedly be the pick out of the bunch due to their stellar club form this season.

Jordan Ayew has continued from where he left off at the Afcon 2019 for club side Crystal Palace.

At the Afcon he scored twice in four games before Ghana's elimination against Tunisia on penalties at the round of 16.

The Ghanaian has scored four goals so far in 11 Premier League games so far for the Eagles with key goals against Arsenal and Manchester United and interestingly all the goals against these big English sides have come away from home.

Same can be said for his senior brother who plies his trade in the lower tier of English football with promotion chasers Swansea City.

The Swansea City vice captain has scored six goals in 15 Championship appearances while chipping in with three assists.

Key players – South Africa

Percy Tau - The Brighton winger on loan at Belgian side Club Brugge has been in good form for his loan club in the 11 appearances he has made for the team scoring twice and providing two assists.

The former Mamelodi Sundowns player is a key man for the Bafana Bafana and integral to the way the teams attacks no wonder he has scored 9 goals in just 16 appearances for his national team.

Molefe Ntseki will look to in-form strikers Lebogang Mothiba and Kermit Erasmus, who have been banging in goals at club level in recent times.


 

Head-to-Head Record:

This will be the 13th meeting between the two African giants with Bafana having beaten the Black Stars four times and lost on three occasions, with five matches drawn.

Six of their 11 matches were competitive and Ghana have the upper hand having recorded three wins compared to Bafana's two victories, while one game ended in a stalemate.

TV Channel, Live Score & How To Watch

The game will not be televised in South Africa, but GTV and GTV Sports Plus are set to broadcast the match in Ghana.


The Black Stars ran out 2-1 winners at the 2015 Afcon finals and it remains their last competitive match

Predicted Starting XI for Ghana: Richard Ofori, Lumor Agbenyenu, Kassim Nuhu, Joseph Aidoo, Andy Yiadom, Samuel Owusu, Thomas Partey, Alfred Duncan, Patrick Twumasi, Andre Ayew, Jordan Ayew

Predicted Starting XI for South Africa: Darren Keet, Thamsanqa Mkhize, Thulani Hlatshwayo, Buhle Mkhwanazi, S’fiso Hlanti, Bongani Zungu, Dean Furman, Kamohelo Mokotjo, Percy Tau, Lebo Mothiba, Thembinkosi Lorch.

Match Facts

South Africa won the Africa Cup of Nations for the first and only time in 1996. Ghana have however won the competition on four occasions (1963, 1965, 1978 and 1982).

South Africa have won four out of their eight games in 2019 (W4 D1 L3). Ghana have won one less than their upcoming opponents in the same period (W3 D3 L2).

Eight of the twenty-five players called for South Africa have seven or less international caps. Twelve of the current twenty-one man squad for Ghana have seven or less international caps and five of them are debutants.

Prediction

Expectations will be high for Ghana as they start their qualifying campaign against South Africa, who are likely to be their closest rivals in the group, though with two spots up for grabs they are both expected to earn qualification ahead of Sudan and Sao Tome and Principe. The South African coach has stated how he sees a point as a good result and it would be no shock if they played with a defensive mindset with the onus on Ghana to break them down. Recent matches between these two nations have been very close and a low scoring draw is the prediction.