SAFA have confirmed the venue for the crucial Bafana Bafana AFCON 2025 qualifier tie scheduled for 11 October 2024. The senior men’s national team plays back-to-back qualifiers next month against Congo Brazzaville.
The first leg has been moved from Bloemfontein to Gqeberha’s Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. SAFA CEO Lydia Monyepao made the announcement at a Heritage Day event in Johannesburg. She acknowledged the fantastic support in Bloemfontein during the recent World Cup qualifier.
“Given the support we received in June when Bafana Bafana played against Zimbabwe, we thought it’s the best atmosphere to give our team the support they need to get maximum points at home before they go to Brazzaville,” she said.
Unfortunately, unforeseen circumstances necessitated a venue change. Monyepao explained: “But there were certain issues beyond our control that saw us take the game away.”
WHAT INFLUENCED BAFANA BAFANA VENUE CHANGE FOR QUALIFIER
Factors like a rugby match scheduled at the Free State Stadium and concerns about the pitch condition influenced the decision. “We were thinking about the happenings in Mangaung around that weekend, but things like the condition of the pitch leading up to the game was not going to be ideal for this kind of game,” she added.
Ultimately, logistical challenges led them to choose Gqeberha, which was already slated to host a Bafana match in November. “Because we were notified of the rugby games that were happening before then, and we also had other logistical challenges that, when we sat down and thought about it, we thought it’s best to move it to Port Elizabeth, which was actually scheduled to host Bafana in November,” she confirmed.
The match is now set for Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Friday, October 11th, at 7 pm. Meanwhile, coach Hugo Broos has announced a preliminary squad, from which he will select the final team to face Congo.
Orlando Pirates duo of Tshegofatso Mabasa and Thabiso Sesane made the squad, while Percy Tau and Luke Le Roux also return. The sidelined Mamelodi Sundowns duo of Teboho Mokoena and Khuliso, who have missed the last four games, are also part of the squad.
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