Share

Furman ready for Nigeria test

Johannesburg - South Africa midfielder Dean Furman believes Nigeria will provide a welcome test for Gordon Igesund's men, much like Mali did earlier this year.

FORUM: Have any thoughts? If so, join the debate on Sport24's all-new Forum!

According to the Football411 website, Bafana Bafana face the Nigerians on Wednesday at the Moses Mabhida Stadium as part of the Nelson Mandela Challenge, with another clash on Saturday against Burkina Faso in Soweto.

Furman told the website that the midweek clash against the Super Eagles has all the hallmarks of a titanic encounter, with Stephen Keshi's behemoths the reigning Africa Cup of Nations champions.

"It's going to be an exciting game. They (Nigeria) have done really well. We need to test ourselves against the best teams in the world and Nigeria are one of them," the Doncaster man said.

Furman reckons Bafana have held their own against physically-superior opposition in the past, and highlighted the South Africans' penalty shoot-out defeat to 'Les Aigles' at AFCON in February as an example.

"I think we have shown over the last year that we can be competitive. In the Mali game we did well. They are a big side but they did not get the better of us," he claimed.

Meanwhile, the 25-year-old admitted Belgium-based defender Anele Ngcongca's unavailability on the eve of Wednesday's match is less than ideal, but does provide an opportunity for someone else to make his mark.

Furman added: "Obviously every withdrawal is disappointing. Anele is a big part of the team. We have to look at whose in the camp and who ever is selected to play will have to step up and make that position their own."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1471 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2249 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE