The last AFCON 2023 quarter-final fixture will kick off on Saturday night, with Cape Verde going up against South Africa. Perhaps the team that has been the most surprising is Cape Verde, as they weren’t counted among the favorites. Nevertheless, reaching the quarterfinals is also a massive achievement for the South African players. Read on as we share our Cape Verde vs South Africa betting tips for Kenya sports fans. We’ve analyzed the match, including recent performances and past fixtures, to provide helpful football predictions.
Cape Verde vs South Africa Match Details
General
Details
- Date: 04/02/2024
- Time: 20:00h
- Stadium: Stade Charles Konan Banny de Yamoussoukro
- Where to watch: KBC Channel 1, Y254, KBC online platforms
- Ticket info: 1,300 Ksh to 3,900 Ksh
Cape Verde Lineup
(Predicted)
- Vozinha
- Moreira, Steven
- Costa, Logan
- Pico
- Moreira Fernandes, Joao
- Pina, Kevin
- Monteiro, Jamiro
- Duarte, Deroy
- Mendes da Graca, Ryan
- Cabral, Jovane
- Bebe
South Africa Lineup
(Predicted)
- Williams, Ronwen
- Mudau, Khuliso Johnson
- Mvala, Mothobi
- Kekana, Grant
- Modiba, Aubrey
- Morena, Thapelo
- Mokoena, Teboho
- Sithole, Sphephelo
- Tau, Percy
- Makgopa, Evidence
- Zwane, Themba
Online Sports Bettings in Kenya for this Match
Cape Verde vs South Africa Recent Results & Performances
As a Kenyan sports fan, you’ll agree there have been lots of surprises in this year’s AFCON 2023 tournament. The Blue Sharks of Cape Verde and Bafana Bafana of South Africa have been behind most of these surprises. Cape Verde were in Group B, along with Ghana, Egypt, and Mozambique. You’ll expect the team to struggle for qualification in such a group. But, on the contrary, they emerged top of the table and were unbeaten in all three matches.
The Blue Sharks started the tournament against The Black Stars of Ghana in a match where they won by two goals to one. Next, they won Mozambique, scoring three and conceding nil. Their last group stage fixture was against Egypt, and the scoreline at full-time was 2-2. Progressing to the round of 16, Cape Verde got an easy opponent with Mauritania, and they won 1-0.
For Bafana Bafana, their first group match wasn’t a success. They lost 2-0 against Mali, and many football predictions ruled South Africa out of progressing to the next round. Nevertheless, the team shocked football fans in Kenya and around the continent, as they picked up rhythm and won their next match against Namibia by 4-0. Bafana Bafana recorded a draw versus Tunisia in their last group stage fixture, and that was enough to get them to the round of 16.
The real test for the South African players came when they were paired up against Morocco in the knockouts. For emphasis, The Atlas Lions are the number one team in Africa following official FIFA football rankings. A lot of sports fans in Kenya didn’t expect Bafana Bafana to stand a chance against Morocco, but the team won 2-0. The second goal was an impressive free kick that got the crowd roaring.
As evident, it’s been a successful but not easy ride for The Blue Sharks and Bafana Bafana since the start of the continental competition. The Cape Verde vs South Africa match is one where all players will want to give their all to reach the semi-finals.
Head-to-Head Historical Analysis
The Saturday night AFCON quarter-finals will be only the fifth time The Blue Sharks will meet Bafana Bafana on the pitch. This is a notable factor we researched for our Cape Verde vs South Africa betting tips for Kenyan sports fans. Both teams have previously played four matches, with the first in 2005 and the most recent in 2017. Surprisingly, The Blue Sharks have an impressive record over Bafana Bafana. Cape Verde has won on two occasions, and South Africa just once. The remaining game was a 0-0 draw.
Bafana Bafana recorded victory in the first Cape Verde vs South Africa in the 2005 FIFA World Cup Qualifications, winning 2-1. When the team met in the 2013 AFCON Group Stage, it was a goalless tie. Then, both teams would meet twice in 2017 in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers, with Cape Verde winning both matches by two goals to one.
Key Factors Influencing the Match
From our analysis of the Cape Verde vs South Africa football match, here are factors that will have a significant influence on the outcome:
Starting lineup
It’s difficult to predict which players will feature for Cape Verde each match day, as the coach keeps making massive changes to his starting lineup. Since the start of the tournament, The Blue Sharks have made 14 changes to their starting eleven. That’s an average of 3.5 new names on the match sheet per game. Only Guinea have made more switches, with 17. The effect is that it may make their playing style challenging to analyze for opposing teams, which the South African technical team will have to deal with.
On the contrary, Bafana Bafana is the team with the fewest number of changes to their starting eleven. The team has replaced only two names in their lineup since match day one. So, there’s a low chance of a squad rotation when Cape Verde vs South Africa kicks off. In other words, South Africa will likely field the same players as in their last game against Morocco.
Formations
Cape Verde and South Africa use two of the most common formations in football. While The Blue Sharks usually assemble in a 4-3-3 lineup, Bafana Bafana opts for 4-2-2. Without question, the difference in formations will notably affect how the players perform against each other on Saturday night.
If you’re a Kenyan football fan who knows the intricacies of the sport, you’ll agree that the 4-3-3 formation is all about attacking and quick transitions. That’s one of the main reasons Cape Verde have been prolific in front of goal, scoring at least one per match.
Meanwhile, the 4-4-2 formation is more balanced and is ideal for possession-based football. Little wonder why Bafana Bafana Bafana have drawn most of their matches, and the last goal they scored was from a set piece. The advantage is that the team becomes difficult to score. For emphasis, Bafana Bafana has kept a clean sheet in their last three matches. They’ll be looking to extend the record when Cape Verde vs South Africa kicks off on Saturday night.
Semi-final spot
Of course, the winner of the quarter-final fixture will reach the semifinals, and it’s enough reason to get any team to put up their best performance. Cape Verde hasn’t gotten to the semifinals of the AFCON in their history. For South Africa, the last time they reached the stage was in 2000. Both teams will want to change the narrative, and we recognize that this factor will have a major effect on football predictions for the upcoming fixture.
Betting Tips
Below are our Cape Verde vs South Africa match betting tips for Kenyan sports fans:
Betting Odds
Things are balanced for the Cape Verde vs South Africa fixture, as we’ve predicted. Here are the average odds from Kenya betting sites:
Cape Verde to Win: 2.84 | Draw: 3.01 | South Africa to Win: 2.81
Clearly, betting on any of Cape Verde or South Africa to win will return the same potential winnings, as the odds only have a 0.03 difference. Here are the average odds for direct qualification for both teams:
Cape Verde to qualify: 1.93 | South Africa to qualify: 1.91
The qualification odds still signify that The Blue Sharks and Bafana Bafana have an equal chance of going through.
Final Thoughts on the Match
Although the game proves difficult to predict, we’ve assembled our Cape Verde vs South Africa betting tips for Kenya sports fans. You can follow the football predictions while you place your bets, but see them as a guide and not as a guarantee. Check our website regularly for more football predictions and tips.
Oluwafemi Michael, a seasoned iGaming writer with nearly a decade of experience, excels in sports betting and casino content. Known for transforming complex gaming topics into engaging, informative narratives, he skillfully blends industry insights with an accessible style.
His work not only enlightens but also captivates readers, making him a valuable asset for gaming brands seeking to enhance their content strategy and audience engagement. Oluwafemi is the go-to expert for compelling iGaming content.