Paraguay returning to South Africa 8 years after World Cup

The Paraguay national soccer team will travel to South Africa this month for its first friendly match under new coach Juan Carlos Osorio, the Paraguayan Soccer Association (APF) said Monday.

Paraguay and South Africa will face each other Nov. 20 at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban as part of the 24th edition of the Nelson Mandela Challenge, the APF said.

The contest marks Paraguay’s return to South Africa eight years after reaching the quarterfinals of the 2010 World Cup .

Osorio, 57, joined Paraguay in September and while his immediate task is to prepare for the 2019 Copa America in Brazil, the longer-term focus is on the qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Paraguay hasn’t qualified for the World Cup since their participation in South Africa in 2010.