11 August 2017 – Bafana Bafana striker Ryan Moon says it’s important that they get a comfortable lead going into the second leg of the 2018 CHAN qualifier against Zambia.
The two nations meet in the first leg on Saturday, 12 August 2017 at the Buffalo City Stadium in East London.
Moon says they have to be tight at the back but also be lethal in front of goal.
“It’s going to be a big one tomorrow and the team is looking good. We had a couple of players pulling out but we just have to adapt to the game plan. It has been a big challenge for most players to come from different clubs and adapt to what the coach wants in a short period of time but so far so good,” said Moon.
“The best way to go about the first leg is that we should be tight in defence and not give them a sniff at scoring a goal, we cannot afford to give them an away goal. Secondly, we need the ball at the back of their net so we give ourselves a bit of breathing space when we travel to Zambia because we are all aware that it is not going to be easy when we get there.”
The Kaizer Chiefs forward says playing at home first should put them at ease and they should not have any pressure.
“You can look at it from different points – it can be the pressure from Zambia and also coming from us, but we shouldn’t put ourselves under pressure. We are playing at home, we have our home support and we should go out there and not concede and take it from there,” added Moon.
He scored on debut in the first leg against Botswana in the previous round and grabbed his second in national team colours in the return leg. Now he would like to continue from where he left off.
“God willing, I would like to score my third goal in my third match for Bafana Bafana – that would make me very happy but more importantly it would be a great boost to the team to get that goal. Even if I don’t score as long as we win the match because it is not about me, but the team. It would be a great honour though if I were to score and I am really looking for ward to the game,” said Moon.
Bafana Bafana completed their preparations and they have a clean bill of health with 24 players for head coach Stuart Baxter to choose from.
South Africa and Zambia last met in June this year in an international friendly match played at the Moruleng Stadium in the North West Province – with the visitors walking away with a 2-1 win.
Lebohang Manyama scored for Bafana Bafana.
The two sides have met 18 times, with South Africa winning five encounters and losing six. Seven matches were drawn.
SOUTH AFRICA VS ZAMBIA – HEAD-TO-HEAD
P W D L GF GA
18 5 7 6 16 18
30 August, 1992
v Zambia 0-1 (Mwitwa 72’)
African Nations Cup qualifying Group 5
Soccer City, Johannesburg
Coach: Stanley Tshabalala
11 July, 1993
v Zambia 0-3 (Chiyangi 1’, K Bwalya 66’ pen, Makwaza 71’)
African Nations Cup qualifying group 5
Independence stadium, Lusaka
Coach: Augusto Palacios
10 May 1994
v Zambia 2-1 (Augustine 46’, Khumalo 47’; Makwaza 67’)
Friendly international
Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Coach: Clive Barker
13 November 1994
v Zambia 1-1 (Khumalo 68’; K Malitoli 86’ pen)
African Nations Cup qualifying group 5
Independence stadium, Lusaka
Coach: Clive Barker
22 November 1995
v Zambia 2-2 (Williams 18’, 70’; Lota 11’, 37’)
Four Nations Cup
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Coach: Clive Barker
11 January 1997
v Zambia 0-0
World Cup qualifying group 3
Independence stadium, Lusaka
Coach: Clive Barker
8 June 1997
v Zambia 3-0 (Mkhalele 9′, Masinga 16′, Williams 74′)
World Cup qualifying group 3
Soccer City, Johannesburg
Coach: Clive Barker
20 May 1998
v Zambia 1-1 (Bartlett 57’; Kamwashi 9’)
Friendly international
Soccer City, Johannesburg
Coach: Philippe Troussier
13 August, 2005
v Zambia 2-2 (Lungisani Ndlela 63’, Abram Raselemane 68’; Chamanga 18’, C Katongo 24’)
Zambia won 9-8 on penalties
Cosafa Castle Cup semifinal
Mmabatho stadium, Mmabatho
Coach: Stuart Baxter
30 January 2006
v Zambia 0-1 (C Katongo 75’)
African Nations Cup finals group C
Al Ittihad stadium, Alexandria
Coach: Ted Dumitru
8 October 2006
v Zambia 1-0 (Aaron Mokoena 28’)
African Nations Cup Group 11 qualifier
Independence stadium, Lusaka
Coach: Pitso Mosimane
9 Setembro, 2007
v Zambia 1-3 (Benni McCarthy 50’; C Katongo 9’, 19’, 20’)
African Nations Cup Group 11 qualifier
Newlands. Cape Town
Coach: Carlos Alberto Parreira
24 October 2007
v Zambia 0-0
South Africa won 4-3 on penalties
Cosafa Castle Cup final
Free State stadium, Bloemfontein
Coach: Carlos Alberto Parreira
27 January 2009
v Zambia 1-0 (Teko Modise 54’)
Friendly international
Super Stadium, Atteridgeville
Coach: Joel Santana
14 November 2012
v Zambia 0-1 (Mbesuma 64’)
Friendly international
Soccer City, Johannesburg
Coach: Gordon Igesund
17 JULY 2013
V Zambia 0-0
Zambia Won 5-3 On Penalties
Cosafa Cup Semifinal
Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, Ndola
Coach: Gordon Igesund
4 January 2015
v Zambia 1-0 (Phala 81’)
Friendly international
Orlando stadium, Johannesburg
Coach: Ephraim Mashaba
13 June 2017
v Zambia 1-2 (Manyama 23’; Mwila 72’, Mundia 80’)
Friendly international
Moruleng Stadium
Coach: Stuart Baxter