BAFANA Bafana will meet Algeria for the first time in 13 years when the two teams do battle in a friendly international at the Orlando Stadium tomorrow.

Both previous encounters between the two countries have come in Africa Cup of Nations finals tournaments, but this time the match will be used by the pair to fine-tune their preparations for the 2013 continental showpiece.

Algeria go into the game ranked the second-best side in Africa behind Ivory Coast and Bafana coach Gordon Igesund has admitted this will be a step up from Tuesday night's encounter against Norway.

But South Africa are defending an unbeaten record against the north Africans, with a win and a draw to show for their two previous encounters.

The first of those came on the way to Bafana winning the 1996 Afcon when they squared off in the quarterfinals at Soccer City.

Mark Fish scored his first international goal with 18 minutes remaining to give Bafana the lead in what was a tense and tight battle.

Tarek Lazizi equalised for the Algerians with six minutes to go, a goal that threatened to take the game into extra time, but just a minute later Bafana were back in the lead when Shoes Moshoeu popped up to score and send the home side through.

The pair met again at the 2000 Afcon in Kumasi, Ghana, where their 1-1 draw ensured that both sides advanced to the quarterfinals of the competition.

Shaun Bartlett gave Bafana a two-minute lead to settle their nerves, but Fawzi Moussouni equalised just after half-time.

There were no further goals, though, and both sides advanced, with South Africa eventually finishing third in that tournament, beaten in the semifinals by Nigeria. Algeria lost to eventual winners Cameroon in the quarters.