South Africa vs Ghana Prediction & Betting Tips - AFCON

Prediction published on 23/03/2021, 08:38  by Nella Wagah | Modified on 23/03/2021 at 08:40 in Football Predictions

African giants Ghana and South Africa will be facing off in Johannesburg seeking to secure qualification to the 2021 African Cup of Nations. This Group C encounter features the two top teams in the pool, the nations being joint on nine points, with Ghana edging South Africa on goal difference. Both sides have been forced to make changes to their teams either by Covid-19 protocols or injury. Ghana will be the most affected with a number of key players set to miss this game. As for South Africa, Kermit Erasmus and Bradley Grobler are off with injury but the team has a boost in the early arrival of Brighton forward Percy Tau. South Africa have three wins in their last five matches but head here with three straight wins in their previous AFCON qualifiers. They lost 2-0 in Ghana in November and this is a chance for them to get back for their only loss in the last 14 AFCON qualification matches. With both sides on nine points, the big prize here is that the winner secures a place at the AFCON finals. South Africa have no loss in their last 14 AFCON qualification matches at home and in their last two home matches, they kept clean sheets against Sudan and Sao Tome.

Ghana are set to miss a horde of players for this trip, especially those based in England. England based players including Thomas Partey of Arsenal and the Ayew brothers Andre and Jordan of Swansea and Crystal Palace were only allowed after an agreement between the Ghana FA and their clubs. This agreement bars the players from traveling to South Africa, centered on the UK Covid-19 protocols. A number of players have also turned down calls to the Ghana team and the African giants will be forced to miss key players for this crucial game. Ghana’s loss to Sudan in the last game leaves them in a precarious position, and in danger of falling third, should they lose here and Sudan beat Sao Tome in the other game. The west Africans have five wins in their last six AFCON qualification matches, with five clean sheets. However, they have two losses in the last four away matches in the qualifiers. Head to head, Ghana have a better run over South Africa. They are unbeaten in the last four matches pitting the two nations and in six competitive matches, Ghana have four wins and South Africa one.