South Africa take on Angola in a friendly clash on Wednesday afternoon, with the two nations looking to return to winning ways following runs of poor performances and results over recent months. With neither teams having qualified for this summer’s World Cup Finals in Russia, the duo are looking to make a fresh start this week.
International Friendly – Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, Zambia – Wednesday 21st March – 13:00 UK Time
South Africa vs Angola Match Preview
South Africa and Angola go head-to-head in a friendly encounter in Zambia this week, with both sides having won just once in their last six outings. The pressure is mounting on both Ephraim Mashaba and Srdjan Vasiljevic as a result, with both managers looking to gain a tactical advantage for their side ahead of kick-off. However, with little separating the duo ahead of kick-off, making predictions surrounding the clash is difficult. Those still unsure of who to back ahead of kick-off should be sure to check out our top betting tip below. However, let’s first take a closer look at the two teams, starting with the home side.
South Africa Team News & Form
Manager Mashaba has named a mixture of youth and experience for his sides clash with Angola, with South Africa looking to recover from successive defeats against Senegal during their World Cup qualifying campaign. Their playing squad is dominated by domestic-based talent, however there are also six European-based players to keep an eye on, including Konyaspor striker Lebogang Manyama. Elsewhere, Motjeka Madisha could earn a first senior cap on Wednesday, the only potential debutant in the squad.
Angola Team News & Form
Angola’s last outing was their goalless draw against South Africa back in March last year, with the African side looking to bounce back with a victory this week. Sporting Lisbon attacker Gelson is undoubtedly the star of the show for Angola, with the 21-year-old having scored eight times in his 17 appearances to date. Elsewhere, Lazio defender Bastos will look to help his side keep a clean sheet.
South Africa vs Angola Head to Head
The two nations have met nine times in the past, with South Africa having won five of such matches, as well as registering three draws in the process. However, the last encounter between the duo ended in a goalless draw back in March last year, with Angola’s only ever victory coming in the African Cup of Nations back in 2015.
South Africa vs Angola Betting Odds and Predictions
Despite having won just once in their last six outings, their status when it comes to African football means that it comes as little surprise that it is South Africa who are the favourites for victory with the majority of major online bookmakers. South Africa can be backed for victory at best odds of 4/6 with bookmaker Ladbrokes, while those looking to bet on a success for Angola can get a price of 15/4 on the same platform. Meanwhile, a draw between the two is available at odds of 23/10 with Paddy Power.
South Africa vs Angola Betting Tip
However, our top betting tip for the match is to bet on South Africa being the first team to score during the 90 minutes, which is available at odds of 1/2 with bookmaker William Hill.