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Bafana up one spot in rankings

Johannesburg - South Africa have climbed one place to 59th in the latest FIFA rankings released on Thursday.

They also rose one position - to ninth - in the rankings among African countries.

Bafana Bafana played two matches, both Soccer World Cup qualifiers away from home, during the latest window period. They defeated Central African Republic 3-0 and lost 2-1 against Ethiopia.

South Africa will play their next match - with a second-string squad - in the Cosafa Cup quarter-finals in Lusaka, Zambia, next week.

They will host Botswana in their final match of the second round of World Cup qualifying in September, needing a win to keep any hopes alive of competing in next year's global spectacle in Brazil.

Meanwhile Brazil have surged to ninth in the FIFA rankings after winning the Confederations Cup.

The five-time World Cup winners and 2014 hosts fell to an all-time low of 22nd before a five-match victory streak earned them the warm-up event title.

World and European champion Spain top the rankings despite losing the final last Sunday.

Italy, third-placed at the Confederations Cup, climb to No 6. Uruguay rise seven spots to No 12 after finishing fourth.

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