Word coming out of Bafana Bafana's camp is that the players are 'psyched up' for rematches against Nigeria in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in the coming months.
Bafana made a big statement that they can compete with any team on the continent after they knocked out number one-ranked side Morocco, with an impressive 2-0 victory in the round of 16.
After a nerve-wrecking penalty shootout win over Cape Verde in the quarter-finals, Hugo Broos' charges also came close to knocking out the Super Eagles after a last-minute equaliser by Teboho Mokoena from the spot-kick forced the game to extra-time.
Although Bafana lost out on penalties to the West African giants, they have earned respect back and the rivalry between the sides will get much more fierce when the World Cup qualifiers resume in four months' time.
READ | 'I think we were the best team...' - Broos proud despite Nigeria defeat
South Africa is in the same group as the Super Eagles and with a World Cup spot at stake, as only the group winner automatically qualifies, Bafana players are said to be motivated to level up with Nigeria, according SAFA President Danny Jordaan.
"The players are very keen, they are psyched up to get Nigeria back home and look, we're the two top-ranked teams in our group and it's going to be tough, both home and away against Nigeria," Jordaan said on Metro FM Sports.
"But even the Nigerians up to (Wednesday) believed that the gap between the two teams is 5-0, Jay-Jay Okocha was there, Daniel Amokachi and all of these guys.
"They were predicting 5-0 but by half-time they started to change their tune and by the end of the game they were terrified," he added.
Bafana, who are one point ahead of Nigeria in second spot in Group C, will resume their World Cup qualifying campaign away to the Super Eagles on 3 June.
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