Bafana Bafana will feel buoyed about their World Cup qualifier against Benin on Tuesday (18:00) at Stade Felix Houphouet Boigny based on what has happened at this venue in recent times.
Benin have been forced to host this match 870km away from their home in Cotonou, where there are CAF compliance issues at their main stadium.
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This means Bafana must now play at a neutral venue further away in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire but at a venue that they are familiar with.
For Orlando Pirates fans, the Stade Felix Houphouet Boigny (before it was renovated) is famous for having been the venue where they won the 1995 Champions League, but Bafana have more recent good memories.
Bafana's bronze medal at the last AFCON finals was won at the same venue in February 2024.
This was the senior national team's first podium finish at the tournament since the year 2000 when they overcame Tunisia on penalties in Accra.
Following a goalless stalemate after extra-time, Bafana then won on penalties against DR Congo.
They also played a 1-1 draw against Cote d'Ivoire at the same stadium in October 2023, which means they are without defeat at this venue under Broos.
The plus for Bafana is that they have won both matches on the two occasions that they have met Benin.
It is not often that the two countries have met with the first having been at the 2004 AFCON finals and won 2-0 by Bafana, while the most recent was earlier in this World Cup qualifying campaign.
Bafana prevailed 2-1 in November 2023 and with another victory today, Broos' men will become the only team with four wins in the group after six matches.
All is in Bafana's hands in this group in that they will need not look over their shoulders if they win all their remaining games against Benin, Lesotho, Nigeria (home), Zimbabwe, and Rwanda.
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Second place in the group will come with Bafana then hoping to finish amongst the four best runners-up out of the nine groups.
From there, it will be a lengthy qualification process via play-offs, which will ultimately involve other confederations.