Bafana, Ivory Coast friendly confirmed

Bafana Bafana will face Ivory Coast in a friendly international for their annual Nelson Mandela Challenge match.

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Bafana Bafana have a friendly international against Ivory Coast for their annual Nelson Mandela Challenge match on November 12.

The encounter is set to take place for the 48,000-seat Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.

“We are delighted to have captured an opponent in the calibre of Ivory Coast, who are the highest ranked nation in Africa,” said SA Football Association (Safa) chief executive Robin Petersen on Thursday.

“We are also happy to be playing the near the home of Madiba. As an association we believe it will be a fitting tribute for all he has done for the country.”

Safa has guaranteed R1 million from the match to the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, with the Nelson Mandela Municipality set to underwrite R2.5 million for the logistics of staging the fixture at their 2010 World Cup venue.

The Ivorians have already given Safa the list of their strong 21-man squad coming to South Africa to Safa that includes star names like captain and star striker Didier Drogba, Gervinho and the Toure brothers – Yaya and Kolo.

With the exception of goalkeeper Daniel Yeboah, the other 20 players expected for the sojourn are based in Europe, mostly in the prominent English, Dutch and German leagues.

“I was talking to the Ivorian football federation last night, and we have been assured of their strongest squad, bar any injuries that might occur,” Petersen said.

“It is a totally different case with the Ivorians as it was with the Burkinabe. All that is left with us to arrange the travelling logistics for the players.”

Safa vice-president Mwelo Nonkonyane said the match was an opportunity for Bafana to regain confidence after failing to qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations last month.

“We want to wipe away the tears of the nation after the Afcon disappointments” he said.

“We have to regain our pride, put the past behind us and restore confidence of the country in Bafana.”

With the following Wednesday evening (November 16) after the Ivory Coast game being a Fifa calendar date, Bafana are set to stage another match – an away friendly international against a Southern African side.

The announcement is expected to be made next Thursday, when Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane names his squad for both the Ivory Coast game and this yet to be disclosed side.

“Yes, there will be a match the following Wednesday after the Ivory Coast game because it is also a Fifa international date,” Petersen said.

“It will be an away game against a nation in the Cosafa region. We did not want to announce this fixture today because the focus was on the Nelson Mandela Challenge and Ivory Coast.” – Sapa

Source: http://www.iol.co.za/bafana-ivory-coast-friendly-confirmed-1.1166166

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