All eyes will be on the Konan Banny Stadium in Yamoussoukro as Cape Verde and South Africa go head-to-head in the quarter-final of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2023).
Will Bafana Bafana put an end to their winless streak against Cape Verde, or will the Blue Sharks advance to the next round?
Predicted Cape Verde vs South Africa lineups
It's worth keeping an eye out for Cape Verde's Ryan Mendes. The Fatih Karagümrük player was directly involved in at least one goal in his last three appearances for the Blue Sharks, scoring twice with an assist.
AS Trencin's Vozinha kept two clean sheets in his last three matches, and is expected to start in goal for Cape Verde.
On the other hand, South Africa's Themba Zwane will likely cause some problems for Cape Verde's defence.
Like Mendes, the Mamelodi Sundowns player has three direct goal involvements in his last three matches. He scored a brace in Bafana Bafana's 4-0 victory over Namibia, before providing an assist in their 2-0 win against Morocco.
Both managers will be pleased to have a healthy group of players to choose from, as there are no new absentees for either team.
With that in mind, these are our predicted Cape Verde vs South Africa lineups:
Cape Verde
Goalkeeper: Vozinha.
Defenders: Steven Moreira, Logan Costa, Roberto Lopes, João Paulo.
Midfielders: Jamiro Monteiro, Kevin Pina, Deroy Duarte.
Forwards: Ryan Mendes, Bebé, Jovane Cabral.
South Africa
Goalkeeper: Ronwen Williams.
Defenders: Aubrey Maphosa Modiba, Mothobi Mvala, Grant Kekana, Khuliso Mudau.
Midfielders: Sphephelo Sithole, Teboho Mokoena, Themba Zwane.
Forwards: Percy Tau, Evidence Makgopa, Thapelo Morena.
Confirmed Cape Verde vs South Africa lineups
*Confirmed Cape Verde vs South Africa lineups will be available an hour before kick-off.
Cape Verde vs South Africa stats
These are some stats that may interest you ahead of Cape Verde vs South Africa:
- South Africa did not concede any goals in their last three games.
- South Africa's last victory over Cape Verde was in 2005.
- Cape Verde reigned supreme the last two times these teams clashed.
- Cape Verde are yet to lose at AFCON 2023.
- Cape Verde have never played in an AFCON semi-final game.
- This will be the second meeting between these teams at the Nations Cup.
Where to watch Cape Verde vs South Africa on TV
RTC and Canal+ are TV options for fans who reside in Cape Verde, while those from South Africa can tune into SABC Sport and Supersport for live coverage of this match.
This article was most recently revised and updated 1 year ago
