SA Begs For Opponents

Mali have agreed to play against South Africa next month for the annual Nelson Mandela Challenge in Port Elizabeth on 13 October.

It comes after Bafana Bafana were unable to find an opponent to play them earlier this month after xenophobic rioting broke out in the country.

A friendly international against Zambia in Lusaka on 7 September was cancelled by the hosts who said they could not guarantee the safety of the visiting South Afircans.

After Zambia cancelled that game, the South Africa Football Association (Safa) organised a replacement fixture at home to Madagascar but within two days the Malagasy also withdrew.

The cancellations came in the wake of the attacks on foreigners in several South African cities in an outbreak of xenophobia that drew harsh criticism from around the continent.

Initially the Football Association of Zambia said it would be trying to rearrange the match for October, but that is yet to happen.