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Bafana targeting clean sheet against Super Eagles, says Hlanti

Cape Town – Defender Sifiso Hlanti says Bafana Bafana are fully prepared ahead of facing Nigeria in their 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier on Saturday.

READ: Baxter to be sacked if Bafana fail to qualify for AFCON 2019

A win at the FNB Stadium for Stuart Baxter's charges would see them qualify for the tournament to be held in Cameroon from 15 June to 13 July.

Hlanti admits that they face a stern test against the Super Eagles, who currently lead Group E on nine points from four games, while South Africa have eight.

Speaking to KickOff website ahead of the match, Hlanti said: "So far everything is going well. The guys are also showing that they are well prepared."

When quizzed about the responsibility of the players heading into the game, he added: "Pressure is something that is always there, but it's up to us as players how we react when it comes to such situations. But it is not something that we need to put in our head too much because we know our task.

"We also know what is important to us as defenders. Our first priority is to keep a clean sheet so everything else will happen on its own. I think the most important thing is communication and understanding of how we play.

"Worrying yourself too much about the opposition team doesn't help. We must focus on the quality that we've got."

Bafana beat Nigeria the last time these two sides faced each other in the first leg of AFCON qualifying.

After four rounds of (of six) matches played, the Super Eagles lead Group E with 9 points, one ahead of South Africa, who have accumulated 8 points from two wins and two draws.

Libya are in third place with 4 points, followed by the Seychelles on 1 point.

The penultimate group clash will kick-off at 15:00 (SA time).

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