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Defining week for Bafana Bafana

Cape Town - This is one of the biggest weeks in the history of the senior men's national team, Bafana Bafana when they embark on back-to-back FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Senegal home and away.

According to the SAFA website, the permutations are straight forward - South Africa need to win the two matches and will book a ticket to Russia next year.

Bafana Bafana start the defining week with a must win match against the Teranga Lions on Friday at Peter Mokaba Stadium. The match kicks off at 19:00.

They then travel to Senegal for the last group match which will be played on Tuesday in Dakar.

FIFA ordered the first match to be replayed after the home team had won the encounter 2-1 through goals from captain Thulani Hlatshwayo and Thulani Serero, citing that the match official had tempered with the outcome.

Despite having lost to Cape Verde in both matches, Stuart Baxter's men know that winning the two games against Senegal will guarantee them a place among the elite in Russia.

Most players have reported for camp apart from Kaizer Chiefs players who were travelling from Eastern Cape on Monday.

Meanwhile Bafana suffered a possible injury blow when Chiefs goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune was confirmed to have fractured a bone in his face in a recent Telkom Knockout clash against Chippa United at the weekend.

The Soweto giants confirmed that the player had suffered a blow above his eye and would be seen by a specialist to identify the extent of the injury.

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