Interesting Bafana Bafana and Tunisia Team Stats Prior to AFCON 2023 Group E Decider

• Bafana Bafana need to avoid defeat against Tunisia to guarantee a Round of 16 spot
• Nothing but a win will be sufficient for Tunisia as they look to stay in the competition
• The teams last met at an AFCON in 2008 with Tunisia winning that group encounter 3-1

Will they rely on history or blaze their own trail over the coming 90 minutes?

The statistics favour Tunisia in their deciding Group E clash with South Africa, but Hugo Broos' team are bucking trends on their way to the Round of 16.

Sports Brief lists a few pre-game numbers that could have a subliminal sway on tonight's fixture.

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A four-goal fluke?

At the 2015 and 2019 AFCONs, South Africa netted a combined four goals. They drew blanks in their 2023 opener but then hammered four past Namibia in one match.

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If they win tonight, it will also be the first time in over 20 years that South Africa has won consecutive matches at an AFCON. The last time they did was at the 2000 edition in Ghana.

Contrasting streaks

Should Tunisia win, they would have qualified for the knockout round for the fifth consecutive African showpiece. In that period the furthest they went was the third-place playoff, which they lost.

Meanwhile, South Africa were not at the previous AFCON and the last time they qualified for back-to-back knockout rounds was in 2002. Here, they followed up their third-place finish in 2000 by reaching the quarter-finals.

Opportunity-shy Tunisia

The Eagles of Carthage had the fourth-worst number of chances created at this tournament by the end of the second group round, as per The Analyst.

Youssef Msakni, who is aiming for a personal milestone of scoring in six different AFCONs, has taken six of their 15 shots. Msakni has also created four other opportunities.

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Better than average Bafana

South Africa currently have their highest shot conversion rate of any edition since statisticians began recording. Their 16.7% conversion rate is over double their 2019 rate of 7.5%.

South Africa also go into the match with double the amount of 10-plus passing sequences: 18 to Tunisia's nine. In Thapelo Maseko, Thapelo Morena and Themba Zwane, they have the most players with a 100% shot accuracy rate, as FBRef.

Head-to-head

The teams have never drawn, with each winning three of the six fixtures played. At AFCON, it is equally tight with two wins each from four matches.

South Africa won their first two AFCON encounters in 1996 and 2000, but Tunisia won the previous two in 2006 and 2008. A draw will suit Bafana Bafana tonight but only a win saves Tunisia.

South Africa vs Tunisia Preview

Sports Brief recently compiled a predictions preview for South Africa against Tunisia.

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The stage is set for a blockbuster showdown at the Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium this evening.

Hugo Broos' team have the psychological advantage and may look to catch Tunisia on the break.