Maritzburg – Mauritania have set the date for next month’s African Nations Cup qualifier against South Africa and will host Bafana Bafana in Nouakchott on Saturday‚ September 5 at 5pm local time (6pm SA time).
In terms of the competition rules‚ home federations can decide whether to play either on Friday‚ Saturday or Sunday‚ but must fix the time and date of the encounter at least two weeks before the match and inform the opposing team’s football association.
It will be the first trip to the arid north African nation for South Africa‚ who got off to a poor start in their bid to qualify for the 2017 finals in the Gabon after being held to a goalless draw in Durban in their opening Group M match by lowly Gambia.
Mauritania‚ among the lowest-ranked African countries at 181st in the latest Fifa standings‚ put up a surprise showing in their opener by holding Cameroon goalless until the last minute of their match in Yaounde and then losing 1-0.
Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba will be able to start assembling his squad on Sunday‚ August 30‚ and then have a full week to work with them‚ including travel to west Africa before the match.
South Africa’s crunch qualifiers in the group against the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon are to be played in March. – The Times
Source: RDM News Wire.
South Africa Today Sport – Sport News Football