2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers: What Bafana Bafana need in order to progress

Hugo Broos' charges retained their place at the top of the Group G standings on Thursday after recording a narrow 1-0 win over neighbours Zimbabwe, courtesy of a 26th-minute goal from midfielder Teboho Mokoena.

The result means Bafana Bafana currently sit three points clear of nearest rivals Ghana, who were held to a draw by Ethiopia earlier in the day, heading into the final match of the round, with the two nations set to go head-to-head in the decider this weekend.

Despite results going in South Africa's favour on Thursday, the requirements for the national team to progress to the third and final round of qualifying remain unchanged and the chosen 24 must avoid defeat against the Black Stars in order to make this happen.

If Ghana wins, by any margin, the West African nation will replace Bafana Bafana at the top of the standings by virtue of the tie-break rules put in place by FIFA for the qualification leg of the campaign.

The rules for the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying stage provide that teams will be separated by the following means and in the following order:

1. Points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss)
2. Overall goal difference
3. Overall goals scored
4. Points in matches between tied teams
5. Goal difference in matches between tied teams
6. Goals scored in matches between tied teams
7. Away goals scored in matches between tied teams (if the tie is only between two teams in home-and-away league format)
8. Fair play points
   • first yellow card: minus 1 point
   • indirect red card (second yellow card): minus 3 points
   • direct red card: minus 4 points
   • yellow card and direct red card: minus 5 points
9. Drawing of lots by the FIFA Organising Committee

This means that if Ghana were to beat South Africa by one goal to nil, they will be level on points and equal on goal difference, but would progress as a result of scoring seven goals compared to Bafana Bafana's six.

Nonetheless, Broos' side finds themselves in the unfamiliar yet favourable position of holding their fate in their own hands and will know that the onus now rests on Ghana, who lost the reverse leg 1-0, to claim a famous victory in Accra.

Algeria – 30th (1489 points)

Burkina Faso – 58th (1390 points)

Mali – 56th (1394 points)

Cameroon – 53rd (1413 points)

Egypt – 52nd (1420 points)

Ghana – 48th (1438 points)

Morocco – 39th (1461 points)

Nigeria – 32nd (1488 points)

Tunisia – 26th (1507 points)

Senegal – 21st (1549 points)