Less than eight hours before Nigeria’s Super Eagles take on the Bafana Bafana of South Africa in the qualifiers for the 2015 Nations Cup to be hosted by Morocco, coach Stephen Keshi has named his first eleven for the crucial match.

According to the Eagles’ starting team published by Africanfootball.com moments ago, Emmanuel Emenike and Gbolahan Salami will start for Nigeria against South Africa when the match kicks off inside the 2010 World Cup stadium in Cape Town at 7pm Nigerian time.

It would be recalled that both  Emenike and Gbolahan started from the bench in Nigeria 2-3 lost against Congo in Calabar at the weekend.

Though Gbolahan, who plays for Warri Wolves in the Nigerian league, scored Nigeria’s second goal in the 89th minutes.

Emmanuel Emenike in action for Nigeria

Israel-based Nosa Igiebor, who was also a second-half sub against Congo, will start against Bafana Bafana.

However, Keshi has kept faith with his defence, which struggled against the Red Devils from Congo on Saturday, as skipper Austin Ejide, Elderson, Efe Ambrose, Godfrey Oboabona and Kenneth Omeruo would be the players to man the Eagles’ back line.

In the midfield, the quartet of Ogeny Onazi, Mikel Obi, Nosa Igiebor and Ahmed Musa are expected to hold forth.

Barring no late changes, below is Nigeria’s starting XI vs South Africa:

Austin Ejide (Skipper) – Elderson Echiejile, Efe Ambrose, Kenneth Omeruo, Godfrey Oboabona – Ogeny Onazi, Mikel Obi, Nosa Igiebor, Ahmed Musa – Gbolahan Salami and Emmanuel Emenike.

Nigeria is the defending champions of the African Nations Cup following it triumph in the last edition of the tournament held in South Africa in 2013.

In spite of the Eagles’ defeat against Congo on Saturday, the coach Keshi led side would be full of confidence going into the match against South Africa considering Nigeria has never lost a competitive match against the former Apartheid country.

Out of the nine matches played so far, Nigeria has won seven, draw one and the only match the Super Eagles lost was a friendly match tagged the Nelson Mandela’s Challenge played in Johannesburg.

Do you see Nigeria defeating South Africa tonight?