Nigeria vs South Africa prediction and betting tips on February 7, 2024
The first semifinalist of the 2024 African Cup of Nations will be determined in the clash between the national teams of Nigeria and South Africa. Whose fortune will favor them in this pairing? Dailysports experts have prepared a prediction for this match.
Nigeria
Many experts currently consider the Nigerian national team among the primary favorites of the tournament, and it is difficult to disagree. Jose Peseiro's team leaves a favorable impression, primarily due to their confident defensive play. In five tournament matches, the "Super Eagles" conceded only one goal, and that was in the first match of the group stage against Equatorial Guinea. Subsequently, they secured minimal victories over Ivory Coast (1:0) and Guinea-Bissau (1:0). In the knockout stage, the Nigerians first eliminated the formidable Cameroon (2:0) and then overcame Angola in the quarterfinals (1:0).
South Africa
The South African national team pleasantly surprised in this tournament. Even the most devoted fans likely found it hard to believe that "Bafana Bafana" would reach the semifinals of the African Cup of Nations. After a defeat to Mali in the first round with a score of 0:2, Hugo Broos' team thrashed Namibia (4:0) and shared points with Tunisia (0:0). This proved sufficient to finish second in their group. In the first round of the knockout stage, South Africans authored a genuine sensation by sending home none other than the World Cup semifinalists, the Moroccan national team (0:2). However, the quarterfinal match against Cape Verde was challenging. In regulation and extra time, both teams failed to find the keys to the goal, and the fate of the semifinal ticket was decided in a penalty shootout. South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams emerged as a national hero, saving four attempts from the "Blue Sharks."
Interesting Match Facts and Head-to-Head History
In the 2019 African Cup of Nations quarterfinals, Nigeria defeated South Africa 2:1.
Prior to that, the "Super Eagles" couldn't secure a victory against this opponent in five encounters, suffering a defeat in one of them.
Nigeria vs South Africa Prediction
We believe that the Nigerian national team, adopting a pragmatic style with a focus on defense, will clinch victory in this match.Our bet is "Nigeria to Win" with odds of 1.60.
