Nigeria will host South Africa in the next round of African World Cup qualifiers on Friday, 7 June.
Can Nigeria get their first win of the qualifiers or will South Africa prevent them from getting the three points? Find that out and much more from our Nigeria vs South Africa prediction and preview.
Contents
Nigeria vs South Africa prediction: A confident win for the hosts
Key Stats
- Nigeria have won six of their last eight matches in all competitions, including the AFCON semi-final against South Africa, albeit after penalties.
- South Africa are without a win in their last three games across the board.
- Both teams have scored in five of the previous six H2H duels between Nigeria and South Africa.
- We saw both teams score in three of the last five games played by both of these teams.
Pre-game odds and win probability: Nigeria the more likely winners
- HOME: 4/9 (1.44) – 69.20%
- DRAW: 14/5 (3.80) – 26.30%
- AWAY: 11/2 (6.50) – 15.40%
*odds from Ladbrokes, subject to change
Looking at these Nigeria vs South Africa odds, it's clear that the hosts are the expected winners in this match and we're not surprised to see this given how good Nigeria have been lately.
On top of that, Nigeria are the better team on paper as well and they'll be hosting the match. That being said, South Africa also had one of their best performance ever at the AFCON earlier this year.
In any case, if you liked our predictions for this match, remember to take a look at our latest betting tips for today too.
Last five H2Hs: A very close matchup in recent years
In the last five meetings between Nigeria and South Africa, we saw three draws, along with one win for each team. Meanwhile, when it comes to the overall H2H record between them, Nigeria have a clear advantage: 8-6-2.
Africa Cup of Nations 07/02/24
Nigeria
South Africa
Africa Cup of Nations 10/07/19
Nigeria
South Africa
Africa Cup of Nations Qualification 17/11/18
South Africa
Nigeria
Africa Cup of Nations Qualification 10/06/17
Nigeria
South Africa
International Match 29/03/15
South Africa
Nigeria
Nigeria preview: Looking for their first win in the qualifiers
Although they have yet to win in the World Cup qualifiers after drawing with Lesotho and Zimbabwe in the first two rounds, Nigeria enter this match high on confidence. After all, they had a great AFCON where they reached the final and they're generally in good form since the start of this year. Nigeria will miss a few players for this match, including Victor Osimhen.
Predicted lineup: Nwabali (GK), Osayi-Samuel, Ajayi, Tanimu, Bassey, Ndidi, Onyedika, Lookman, Iwobi, Chukwueze & Boniface
Africa Cup of Nations Qualification 10/09/24
D
Rwanda
0
Nigeria
0
Africa Cup of Nations Qualification 07/09/24
W
Benin
0
Nigeria
3
Africa - World Cup Qualifying 10/06/24
L
Benin
2
Nigeria
1
Africa - World Cup Qualifying 07/06/24
D
South Africa
1
Nigeria
1
International Match 26/03/24
L
Mali
2
Nigeria
0
South Africa preview: Hoping for a good outcome in a huge match
After reaching the semi-finals of AFCON 2023, where they lost in a heartbreaking fashion, on penalties, to their next opponent Nigeria, South Africa will be hoping for revenge in this match. When it comes to their results in the qualifiers, they enter this match with one win and one loss in the first two rounds.
Predicted lineup: Williams, Mobbie, Mvala, Ngezana, Modiba, Mokoena, Sithole, Tau, Zwane, Appollis & Rayners
Africa Cup of Nations Qualification 10/09/24
W
South Sudan
2
South Africa
3
Africa Cup of Nations Qualification 06/09/24
D
Uganda
2
South Africa
2
COSAFA Cup 02/07/24
W
Eswatini
0
South Africa
1
COSAFA Cup 29/06/24
D
Botswana
0
South Africa
0
COSAFA Cup 26/06/24
D
Mozambique
1
South Africa
1
Player to watch: Ademola Lookman
The crafty winger enters this international break after having an amazing season with Atalanta and lifting the Europa League trophy. With 17 goals and 9 assists in all competition for his club, Lookman is in the form of his life right now.
Lookman looking for his seventh goal in national team
While Lookman only has six goals in his career with the Nigerian national team, he also only appeared in 22 matches until now. Can he improve his tally against South Africa?
