7 June 2018– Bafana Bafana head coach Stuart Baxter is hoping his charges will perform a little bit better than they did in the second match of the 2018 COSAFA Cup when they defeated Namibia 4-1 to set up a date with Botswana in the Plate Final.

The clash will take place on Friday evening (8 June 2018) at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane.

Kickoff is at 17h00.

In 13 meetings, there have been nine wins for South Africa and four draws. Botswana is yet to register victory over Bafana Bafana in regulation time, with one match going to the neighbours after a penalty shootout in the COSAFA Cup in 2006.

Botswana has played four games in the tournament, starting in the first round group stages – they have beaten Angola, Malawi and Mauritius, but went down to Zimbabwe on penalties in the quarterfinals.

South Africa joined the competition in the last eight where they lost in a penalty shootout to the Islanders, and went on to beat Namibia in the Plate semi-final.

Baxter is well aware of the danger that Botswana poses, but is hoping his side has found its footing.

“Botswana played well against Zimbabwe, they played very well to go through and have also battled because they have had plenty of games – but then again those lots of games help you gel a little bit, you find a rhythm, which hopefully we have found now,” said the Bafana Bafana mentor.

“You get the lads together and you play a game, you try to play a friendly game in between, it’s not the same, you go into your first game hoping they will find each other it’s a big ask. The second game was better, hopefully the third game will be a little bit better.”

Bafana Bafana will be without the suspended Fortune Makaringe – who received two cautions in the last two matches.

Makaringe made his debut against Madagascar and also walked away with the Man of the Match award in that clash.

“We will definitely make that change (Makaringe) and will later maybe give the younger ones a bit more of a run. Since it’s the end of the season, there may be fatigue but the inspiration and motivation of wanting to play will take over. I am happy there was a good mood in the dressing room, in fact more like satisfaction because they gave a better performance and the result was better,” added Baxter.

Also not in the squad is Gift Motupa who has been released from the tournament due to a family bereavement.

The last time the two nations met, was about a year ago in the CHAN tournament with South Africa winning the two-legged qualifer.

Ryan Moon and Motupa scored in the away leg, and the former’s solitary goal secured victory on home soil.

With Motupa out of the squad, Moon and Jamie Webber are the only surviving players from the last fixture (22 July 2017) between the two countries.

Lesotho will take on Madagascar in the 3rd/4thplace play off in a later kick-off (19h30) on Friday evening.

In a repeat of the 2017 final, Zimbabwe and Zambia will contest for the ultimate prize on Saturday, 9 June at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium.

Kickoff is at 15h00.

** NB This match will be preceded by the final of the ABC Motsepe League National Play-offs between Maccabi and TS Sporting, which kicks off at 11h00 at the same venue **

 

ROAD TO THE PLATE FINAL: 

South Africa:

QUARTERFINALS:

South Africa (3) 0-0 (4) Madagascar (Bafana Bafana lost on penalties)

 

PLATE SEMI-FINALS

Namibia 1-4 South Africa             Old Peter Mokaba

 

Botswana: 

FIRST ROUND GROUP STAGE

Botswana 2-1 Angola

Malawi 1-1 Botswana

Botswana 6-0 Mauritius

QUARTERFINALS

Zimbabwe (3) 1-1 (1) Botswana

 

PLATE SEMIFINALS

Swaziland 0-2 Botswana

 

2018 COSAFA CUP REMAINING FIXTURES:

PLATE FINAL – 17h00

8 June 2018

South Africa vs Botswana                  New Peter Mokaba

 

THIRD-PLACE PLAY-OFF – 19h30

08 June 2018

Madagascar vs Lesotho             New Peter Mokaba

 

CUP FINAL – 15h00

9 June 2018

Zambia vs Zimbabwe                New Peter Mokaba

 

SOUTH AFRICA VS BOTSWANA – HEAD-TO-HEAD

P              W             D               L              GF           GA
13            9               4               0               20            6

10 January, 1993

v Botswana 2-0 (Seale 58’, Moshoeu 86’)

Friendly international

National stadium, Gaborone

 

20 February 1999

v Botswana 2-1 (Ndlanya 36’, Phiri 39’; Selolwane 13’)

Cosafa Castle Cup first round

National stadium, Gaborone

 

30 March 2002

v Botswana 0-0

South Africa won 5-4 on pens

Cosafa Castle Cup first round

National stadium, Gaborone

 

21 May 2006

v Botswana 0-0

Botswana won 6-5 on penalties

Cosafa Castle Cup Group B final

National stadium, Gaborone

 

29 September 2007

v Botswana 1-0 (Teko Modise 32’)

Cosafa Castle Cup semifinal

Super stadium, Atteridgeville

 

16 January 2008

v Botswana 2-1 (Bryce Moon 41’, Sibusiso Zuma 81’; Motlhaping 53’)

Friendly international

King Zwelithini stadium, Durban

 

9 June 2012

v Botswana 1-1 (Morgan Gould 15’, Nato 38’)

World Cup Group A qualifier

University of Botswana Stadium, Gaborone

 

7 September 2013

v Botswana 4-1 (Kermit Erasmus 28’, Dean Furman 45’, Bernard Parker 84’, 89’pen; Jerome Ramatlhakwane 73’)

World Cup Group A qualifier

Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban

 

24 May 2015

v Botswana 0-0

COSAFA Cup quarterfinal

Moruleng Stadium

 

25 June 2016

v Botswana 3-2 (Motupa 33pen, 87’ pen; Kutumela 65’; Makgantai 16’, Seakanyeng 69’)

COSAFA Cup final

Sam Nujoma Stadium, Windhoek, Namibia

 

4 July 2017

v Botswana 2-0 (Norodien 33’, Moseamedi 89’)

COSAFA Castle Cup plate semi-finals

Moruleng Stadium

 

15 July 2017
v Botswana 2-0 (Moon 28’, Motupa 72’)

African Nations Championship second round, first leg, qualifier

Francistown Stadium

 

22 July 2017
v Botswana 1-0 (Moon 13’)

African Nations Championship second round, second leg, qualifier

Moruleng Stadium

South Africa: Boalefa Pule, Siyabonga Nhlapo, Tercious Malepe, Mario Booysen capt., Mothobi Mvala (Sandile Mthethwa 75’), Sipho Mbule, Siphelele Ntshangase (Michael Morton 68’), Sibusiso Kumalo, Cole Alexander, Ryan Moon (Jamie Webber 65’), Bonginkosi Ntuli (Dumisani Zuma 46’).

Coach: Stuart Baxter