Nigeria vs South Africa prediction and betting tips - June 7, 2024
This upcoming Friday, as part of the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, Nigeria and South Africa will face off at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium. Here is the expert prediction for this match from the Dailysports team.
Nigeria
The "Super Eagles" are rightfully considered one of the strongest teams on the African continent, as they demonstrated in the recent Africa Cup of Nations. Finishing second in their group, Nigeria eliminated one of the favorites, Cameroon, with a 2-0 victory in the first playoff round. Subsequently, they narrowly defeated Angola 1-0 in the quarterfinals, and in the semifinals, Finidi George's team overcame South Africa in a penalty shootout.
In the final against Ivory Coast, the "Super Eagles" scored first just before halftime, but their opponents managed to score twice in the second half to claim the trophy. In the first two matches of the qualifying tournament, Nigeria secured only two points, drawing unexpectedly with Lesotho (1-1) and Zimbabwe (1-1). Consequently, Nigeria is in a challenging position, trailing Rwanda by two points. In March, Nigeria played two away matches, winning against Ghana 2-1 and losing to Mali 0-2.
South Africa
"Bafana Bafana" performed admirably in the Africa Cup of Nations. Placed in a group with Mali, Namibia, and Tunisia, South Africa finished second. In the first playoff round, they defeated a strong Morocco team 2-0, and in the quarterfinals, they won against Cape Verde in a penalty shootout. As previously mentioned, South Africa lost to Nigeria in the semifinals but secured the bronze medals by beating DR Congo in the third-place match via penalties.
In the World Cup qualifiers, South Africa defeated Benin 2-1 but lost to Rwanda 0-2 in the second round. Currently, "Bafana Bafana" are in second place in their group, trailing Rwanda by one point. In March, South Africa played two matches, both ending in draws – with Andorra (1-1) and Algeria (3-3).
Interesting facts about the match and the history of their encounters
- The teams have met three times in the Africa Cup of Nations, with only one match decided in regular time – Nigeria won 2-1 in 2019.
- In four of the last five matches, both teams scored.
- Only one of the last five matches had a total of more than 2.5 goals.
Nigeria vs South Africa Prediction
We believe that Nigeria is closer to winning this encounter. The bookmakers agree, offering odds of 1.53 for a home victory. Our bet is "Nigeria to win with a handicap of (-1.0)" with odds of 1.88.
