SOUTH Africa have met Zambia on 14 previous occasions, but, perhaps with just one exception, they cannot say they have ever had it easy.
Bafana Bafana have managed just four wins in that time, all, bar one, by a single-goal margin as they have battled to get the measure of Chipolopolo. Zambia have four wins too, including in the first two games the sides played after readmission.
A 1994 Afcon qualifier in August 1992 was the scene for their first meeting, with Zambia collecting a 1-0 win at Soccer City, Timothy Mwitwa scoring the only goal of the game for the visitors.
The return fixture in Lusaka resulted in a 3-0 loss for South Africa, still their heaviest defeat in this match-up to this day.
A first victory came on inauguration day in 1994 when president Nelson Mandela was sworn in as our first democratic president. Brendan Augustine and Doctor Khumalo increased the party mood in the country by helping South Africa to a 2-1 win.
There followed three successive draws, before South Africa produced their biggest win in this fixture, a 3-0 success at Soccer City in a 1998 World Cup qualifier as Helman Mkhalele, Phil Masinga and Mark Williams got on the scoresheet.
Bafana's greatest and worst moments in this fixture came in relatively quick succession. A 1-0 win in Lusaka in 2006 under caretaker boss Pitso Mosimane was one of their best away victories of all time against a very good Zambian outfit. Aaron Mokoena scored his only international goal in 107 caps. But less than a year later, Bafana were humbled 3-1 at Newlands by a rampant Zambia, with Chris Katongo netting a brilliant hat-trick .
The last meeting between the two countries was in January 2009 when a Teko Modise goal for SA was enough to separate the sides.
SA cannot say they have ever been dominant over their Cosafa rivals, but victory tomorrow will give them something they have not managed before: two wins over Chipolopolo in succession, the start of a new era.
Bafana's chance to bounce Chipolopolo
SOUTH Africa have met Zambia on 14 previous occasions, but, perhaps with just one exception, they cannot say they have ever had it easy.
Bafana Bafana have managed just four wins in that time, all, bar one, by a single-goal margin as they have battled to get the measure of Chipolopolo. Zambia have four wins too, including in the first two games the sides played after readmission.
A 1994 Afcon qualifier in August 1992 was the scene for their first meeting, with Zambia collecting a 1-0 win at Soccer City, Timothy Mwitwa scoring the only goal of the game for the visitors.
The return fixture in Lusaka resulted in a 3-0 loss for South Africa, still their heaviest defeat in this match-up to this day.
A first victory came on inauguration day in 1994 when president Nelson Mandela was sworn in as our first democratic president. Brendan Augustine and Doctor Khumalo increased the party mood in the country by helping South Africa to a 2-1 win.
There followed three successive draws, before South Africa produced their biggest win in this fixture, a 3-0 success at Soccer City in a 1998 World Cup qualifier as Helman Mkhalele, Phil Masinga and Mark Williams got on the scoresheet.
Bafana's greatest and worst moments in this fixture came in relatively quick succession. A 1-0 win in Lusaka in 2006 under caretaker boss Pitso Mosimane was one of their best away victories of all time against a very good Zambian outfit. Aaron Mokoena scored his only international goal in 107 caps. But less than a year later, Bafana were humbled 3-1 at Newlands by a rampant Zambia, with Chris Katongo netting a brilliant hat-trick .
The last meeting between the two countries was in January 2009 when a Teko Modise goal for SA was enough to separate the sides.
SA cannot say they have ever been dominant over their Cosafa rivals, but victory tomorrow will give them something they have not managed before: two wins over Chipolopolo in succession, the start of a new era.
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