Bafana Bafana can sleep heartily on Tuesday evening ahead of their second Group A game late Wednesday afternoon at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, as history is very much on the side of the host nation.

Having drawn their opening game against Cape Verde on Saturday evening Bafana are in search of a win on Tuesday, given that South Africa have faced Angola six times previously and have managed to win three games and drew the remainder should be a boost for them.

The last clash between South Africa and Angola took place at the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations in Tamale Ghana, the game ended 1-1 with lanky Angolan striker Manucho Goncalves scoring first before Elrio Van Heerden replied with a cracking goal from a distance to earn Bafana Bafana a draw.

Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Siphiwe Tshabalala and defender Tsepo Masilela played in that game in Tamale five years ago, and will be able to offer coach Gordon Igesund insight on the dangerous Spanish based Manucho who was once on the books of Manchester United.

Mancuho proved a handful during Angola’s opening game against Morocco and Amakhosi keeper Itumeleng Khune will have his work cut out against the aerial threat of Manucho and the Swiss born Guilherme.

Amakhosi net minder Itumeleng Khune proved to be a safe pair of hands in the opening game against Cape Verde, and with the confidence gained from keeping Bafana’s first clean-sheet at an Africa Cup of Nations since their opening game of the 2004 - a run of eight games in between.

This should be a boost for Khune who could be featuring in his 52nd game for South Africa on Wednesday evening, the Chiefs keeper will also be looking to become the first Bafana Bafana goalkeeper since Hans Vonk at the 2002 Nations Cup to keep two consecutive clean-sheets at the Nations Cup.

Vonk managed to do so in the opening two games of South Africa’s Group game against Burkina Faso in Mali in 2002.

Apart from the 2008 Nations Cup Bafana Bafana have met Angola in two other tournaments, Philemon Masinga scored the game’s only goal as South Africa triumphed 1-0 at the group stages of the 1996 Nations Cup.

Kaizer Chiefs captain at the time Neil Tovey and current Amakhosi assistant coach Doctor Khumalo both played in that 1996 win, while another former Chiefs legend goalkeeper Brian Baloyi held the Angolans at bay when the teams played out a 0-0 draw in the opening game of the 1998 Africa Cup of Nations in Burkina Faso.

With the knowledge and past experience of having faced the Angolans in the past Tshabalala and Masilela will be aware of what to expect, and stretching South Africa’s unbeaten run against the Palencas Negras will be further motivation for Bafana Bafana.

The kickoff for the game is at 17:00