Preview: South Africa vs Jamaica - prediction, team news, lineups

With their World Cup opener against hosts Mexico just days away, South Africa have one final opportunity to sharpen their preparations when they face Jamaica in Pachuca on Friday - a match Hugo Broos has openly described as his last chance to settle on a starting XI before the tournament begins.

Jamaica arrive having suffered a 3-0 defeat to Nigeria in the Unity Cup earlier this week, and with their own World Cup dream having ended in heartbreak during the inter-confederation playoffs, Rudolph Speid’s side will be looking to sign off the pre-tournament period on a more positive note.

Match preview

South Africa head into Friday’s fixture without a win in their last four matches, a run made up of two defeats and two draws that has given Broos cause for concern heading into what is the biggest tournament in the nation’s recent history.

Their most recent outing ended in a goalless draw against Nicaragua in Orlando, a result that left the South Africa coach visibly frustrated with the opposition’s lack of ambition - though Broos acknowledged he still saw positives in Bafana Bafana’s performance despite the contest lacking competitive flow.

The focus for Broos now is sharpness in the final third - South Africa dominated possession against Nicaragua without converting that control into goals, and with Mexico waiting on June 11 in the World Cup opener, the need to find clinical edge is pressing.

Bafana Bafana secured their World Cup berth by finishing top of Group C in qualifying, claiming five wins, three draws and two defeats for 18 points - one ahead of Nigeria and will open their campaign in Group A against Mexico before facing South Korea and Czechia.

Ranked 60th in the world, the gap in the FIFA rankings between South Africa and 15th-placed Mexico is significant, but Broos will know that the World Cup stage is where upsets are made, and Friday’s match against Jamaica is the final preparation before Thursday’s opening fixture under the global spotlight.

Jamaica come into the game on the back of a difficult week in the Unity Cup, losing 3-0 to Nigeria just days after beating India 2-0 - a defeat that ended their hopes in the tournament.

The Reggae Boyz came agonisingly close to reaching this summer’s World Cup, falling 1-0 to DR Congo in the final of the inter-confederation playoffs, with Axel Tuanzebe’s extra-time winner ending Jamaica’s dream of a first-ever World Cup appearance at the death.

Ranked 71st in the world, Jamaica will not be overawed by the occasion, and with several younger players having broken into the squad across recent friendlies, Speid will be looking for an improved performance after the Nigeria defeat.

The two nations have met five times previously, with four of those encounters ending in draws - the most recent result between the sides being a South Africa victory in a 2010 international friendly.

South Africa International Friendlies form:

WDLD

South Africa form (all competitions):

LWLDLD

Jamaica International Friendlies form:

DDWDWL

Jamaica form (all competitions):

DDWLWL

Team News

Broos could rotate his goalkeeping options on Friday, with Ricardo Goss having started against Nicaragua and captain Ronwen Williams widely expected to take his place between the sticks when the World Cup begins against Mexico.

Khuliso Mudau at right back and Mbekezeli Mbokazi at centre back appear to be certainties in the defensive setup, though the remaining two positions in the back four remain open for competition heading into Friday.

Lyle Foster leads the line for South Africa and is expected to start, though the striker is short of confidence having missed a penalty against Nicaragua, and a goal on Friday would go a long way towards restoring his sharpness ahead of the tournament.

Oswin Appollis is set to start on one flank, with either Thapelo Maseko or Tshepang Moremi expected to occupy the opposite side, depending on Broos’s final decision.

For Jamaica, 23-year-old goalkeeper Coniah Boyce-Clarke started against Nigeria and could retain his place for Friday’s match, having now made three appearances for the senior side.

The absence of several more established names has opened the door for newer faces, with Courtney Clarke, Nickalia Fuller and Dwight Merrick all having made their international debuts across the matches against India and Nigeria, and the trio could feature again here.

South Africa possible starting lineup:

Goss; Matuludi, Makhanya, Mbokazi, Mudau; Sithole, Mbatha, Appollis, Zwane, Moremi; Foster

Jamaica possible starting lineup:

Boyce-Clarke; Ainsworth, Lowe, Ming, Cover; Merrick, Clarke; Fuller, Ellis, Dixon; Brown

We say: South Africa 1-1 Jamaica

Broos will want a performance rather than a result on Friday, and with nobody in the South Africa camp willing to risk an injury three days before the Mexico clash, the intensity is unlikely to reach the levels needed to produce a convincing victory.

Jamaica showed enough against India to suggest they can cause problems for a South Africa side that has struggled to convert possession into goals in recent weeks, and a share of the spoils looks the most likely outcome as both camps keep one eye firmly on what comes next.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.