Lagos, Jun 7 (IANS): Nigeria's football team chief coach Gernot Rohr has said that the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifying match on Saturday against South Africa will be a difficult game.

Rohr said this on Tuesday while speaking with newsmen after Nigeria's first training session at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo. The coach said the South African team had not lost a match in the last two years and as such, it would be a big challenge to beat the team, reports Xinhua news agency.

"The game will be difficult. It will be a big challenge to beat the South Africans. It will be difficult with the young players that we have," the German tactician added.

"Our captain, (John) Obi Mikel and our first choice goalkeeper (Ikechukwu Ezenwa) are out of the match," Rohr said.

He added that the team had a big motivation and that the players were doing well in their training.

Nigeria will play their 2019 Afcon qualifying game against South Africa, at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo.

Nigeria also missed out on the 2017 Afcon, after finishing second in the qualifiers behind Egypt.