Banyana Banyana and the Super Falcons will face off in Casablanca on Thursday after their Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) quarter-final exits, with one of the last two African champions set to see their 2027 World Cup qualifications hopes evaporate.
South Africa lost their quarter-final 2-1 to Morocco and Nigeria went down 1-0 to Cameroon - with the winners of those games automatically qualifying for the World Cup. Having fallen at that hurdle, Banyana and the Super Falcons are playing for only the faintest chance of qualification.
The winner of this game will advance to the preliminary round of the Inter-Confederation playoffs, featuring six teams. Of those, the top two in a set of predetermined fixtures will advance to the final phase - joined by four more teams who will advance straight to this round following a bye for the first.
Of the six teams in the final phase, three will advance to the World Cup in Brazil via victory in their single knockout matches.
So, in simpler terms, this battle between losing quarter-finalists is the first of three separate challenges separating the participants from their tickets to Brazil - two of which will be single knockout fixtures and one (the preliminary phase) a more convoluted mini-tournament.
These are surely not the circumstances in which Banyana and the Super Falcons envisioned they would meet at this tournament, but then again, it is better to hold some hope than none whatsoever.
Key details
Date: Thursday, August 13 at 10 p.m. CAT (9 p.m. WAT, 9 p.m. local time in Morocco)
Venue: Stade Moulay Rachid, Casablanca
How to watch: AfroSport holds broadcast rights in Nigeria and SABC in South Africa, while the match is also set to air on SuperSport
Team news
The biggest question for both Justin Madugu and Desiree Ellis is precisely how bold they want to be in changing things up for a game of this magnitude.
Both need different performances to what they saw in the quarter-finals. History suggests Madugu is more inclined to switch things up, while Ellis has a reputation for sticking to her tried and tested combinations for the most part.
Expected lineups
South Africa
GK Kaylin Swart
LB Antonia Maponya | CB Bambanani Mbane | CB Karabo Dhlamini | RB Fikile Magama
CM Linda Motlhalo | CM Bongeka Gamede | CM Refiloe Jane
LW Hildah Magaia | ST Thembi Kgatlana | RW Noxolo Cesane
Nigeria
LB Michelle Alozie | CB Osinachi Ohale | CB Shukurat Oladipo | RB Oluwatosin Demehin
CM Jennifer Echegini | CM Deborah Abiodun | CM Christy Ucheibe
LW Toni Payne | ST Asisat Oshoala | RW Rasheedat Ajibade
Stats
Nigeria have never failed to qualify for the Women's World Cup since its inception in 1991.
Nigeria have two wins and a draw from their last three fixtures against South Africa.
South Africa are only one of two teams besides Nigeria to have lifted the WAFCON (the other being Equatorial Guinea). This year, there will be a first-time champion.