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Cape Town - Bafana Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba believes Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns' success in the CAF Champions League could be a good omen ahead of his side's World Cup qualifier with Senegal.
The national team face a talented Lions of Teranga on Saturday with the likes of Liverpool's Sadio Mane and Stoke City's Mame Biram Diouf likely to lead the attack for the visitors.
It is a crunch game for Bafana as a defeat would severely impact the nation's hopes of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup.
As such, Mashaba believes that Pirates' success in winning the Champions League in 1995 was what spurred Bafana on to win the AFCON in 1996.
The 66-year-old also recently went with Sundowns to Egypt to see the club claim Africa's most prestigious club competition against Zamalek.
"I think on our day, we have what it takes to beat the best sides in the world and Senegal included," he told the official SAFA website.
"We know what happened when Pirates won the Champions League title in 1995 and the subsequent year Bafana lifted the Africa Cup of Nations. The spin offs are always positive."
