Mali head coach Eric Chelle has now highlighted a 'great advantage' that Bafana Bafana possess ahead of their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations encounter.
Both sides will be opening their campaign when they butt heads Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium on Tuesday evening.
When the sides last met in this competition, it was 2013 and South Africa were the hosts. They were, however, left heartbroken when the Eagles beat them by means of a penalty shootout in the quarter-final round.
The pair would then come face-to-face again in 2019, but this time it was Bafana who beat them by two goals to nil.
Whie Bafana are missing their international stars such as Burnley's Lyle Foster and St Louis City SC midfielder Njabulo Blom among others, Chelle highlighted this an "advantage" held by their opponents.
South Africa's squad consists mostly of locally-based players bar unique exceptions such as CAF Interclub-player of the Year Percy Tau, who plays his club football in Egypt for continental giants Al Ahly.
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The Eagles boss also highlighted the respect they have for Bafana, who won the tournament in 1996, and ended as runners-up in 1998.
“They all play in the same league and so we respect this team as they are former winners of the competition," Chelle said per CAFonline.
"They may not have a lot of players overseas but the fact that they play in the same league means that they know each other very well, which is a great advantage in such a competition. They are not to be underestimated” warned the former defender.
“South Africa has been participating for several years in AFCON. We don’t take them lightly and they have actually won the AFCON. We are aware of their strengths and weaknesses, but we have also prepared well for this match.”
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