Nigeria's Super Eagles and South Africa's Bafana Bafana made it to the quarterfinal of the AFCON 2023.
Former South African captain Dean Furman has snubbed Bafana Bafana and named Nigeria as the favourites to win the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, in Ivory Coast.
Furman believes that the Super Eagles are beginning to tick which gives them an edge despite South Africa’s brilliant win against favourites Morocco.
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Furman on Nigeria and South Africa
Nigeria’s Super Eagles kept alive the hope of a fourth AFCON title following a brilliant win against Cameroon in the round of 16.
Ademola Lookman was the hero after he netted both goals in a 2-0 win while South Africa dumbed favourites, Morocco’s Atlas Lions to secure their spot in the last eight.
Speaking ahead of the quarterfinals that will kick off on Friday, with Nigeria facing Angola and South Africa up against Cape Verde, the ex-South Africa international is anxious about the Blue Sharks.
According to a report by Kickoff, Furman is not confident that the Bafana Bafana can go past Cape Verde because of their superior head-to-head before declaring Nigeria as favourites.
"I don't want to speak too soon because Cape Verde, we played them twice in 2017 in the World Cup qualifiers, we lost to them twice," Furman said.
"2013 AFCON opening game at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, everyone expected us to win. It was a draw and if I’m honest, we should have lost that game so I'm not taking them lightly at all, it is going to be a very, very tough game but it is anyone's.
On Nigeria, he believes Jose Peseiro’s men have been underrated in the competition so far.
"The so-called big nations, the fancied nation Nigeria are going about their work in an understated fashion,” he added.
“But I think they are ticking on really nicely so I would have them down as the favourites right now."
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