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By Tshepo Ntsoelengoe

Football Journalist


Radebe confident Bafana will qualify for Afcon 2023

South Africa have in recent years failed to qualify for big tournaments like the Afcon and the World Cup.


Bafana Bafana legend Lucas Radebe is confident about the country’s chances of qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations in 2023 in Ivory Coast.

ALSO READ: Bafana get Morocco in Afcon qualifying group draw

South Africa have in recent years failed to qualify for big tournaments like the Afcon and the World Cup.

Radebe, however, is confident that this time around Bafana will qualify for next year’s Afcon finals.

Bafana were drawn in Group K when the Afcon draw was made in Randburg this week. They were placed alongside Liberia, Zimbabwe and Morocco.

“I think we are capable, we just need to beat Morocco (worry about them). Our neighbours (Zimbabwe), we can deal with them. But it’s a good group, but I am confident,” said Radebe, who conducted the draw alongside Ivory Coast legend Salomon Kalou.

Meanwhile, Kalou also believes that Bafana have what it takes to go to Ivory Coast and says it’s about time they show their worth.

“Bafana Bafana are a top team, they need to come back to the frontline now. I think they are capable of qualifying from this group,” said Kalou.

The first games of the qualifiers are set for 30 May.

The full draw for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying groups:

Group A: Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau, Sao Tome e Principe or Mauritius

Group B: Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Togo, eSwatini

Group C: Cameroon, Kenya, Namibia, Burundi

Group D: Egypt, Guinea, Malawi, Ethiopia

Group E: Ghana, Madagascar, Angola, Central African Republic

Group F: Algeria, Uganda, Niger, Tanzania

Group G: Mali, Congo Brazzaville, Gambia, South Sudan

Group H: Ivory Coast (hosts), Zambia, Comoros, Lesotho

Group I: Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Mauritania, Sudan

Group J: Tunisia, Equatorial Guinea, Libya, Botswana

Group K: Morocco, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Liberia

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