Bafana Bafana head to Morocco for their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Thursday having been given little chance of success with their inexperienced group.
But history suggests that when the chips are down, South Africa can deliver the goods and it would be foolish to write them off completely.
We look back at 10 great away performances from Bafana over the last 30 years since readmission.
CONGO 0 SOUTH AFRICA 1
Pointe Noire, January 1993
South Africa had only been back in global football for six months and away results had not been good, with a 4-0 hammering in Nigeria and a 4-1 loss in Zimbabwe as the realities of the international game bit hard.
And so the inexperienced group headed for another difficult away match in Pointe Noire against Congo-Brazzaville who, admittedly, were not at their peak, but in the context of South Africa's recent return and their novice status, this was a trip into the unknown.
A goal three minutes from time by Harold Legodi settled the tie in their favour for the country's first ever competitive away win.
ZAIRE 1 SOUTH AFRICA 2
Lome, April 1997
A qualifier that was played in neutral Togo as a civil war in Zaire meant they could not host games, but it was still a very difficult away day for Bafana as they attempted to reach the World Cup for the first time.
With long-serving skipper Neil Tovey having been dropped, Doctor Khumalo gave Bafana the lead just past the 20-minute mark, but shortly afterwards Zaire equalized through Zico Tumbu.
But Phil Masinga, who had briefly retired from international football, made a return in this game and capped his appearance with the winning goal in the second half.
CONGO 1 SOUTH AFRICA 2
Pointe Noire, September 2000
Another difficult away day in Ponte Noire that proved a special moment for the national team as Thabo Mngomeni scored a remarkable bicycle-kick that was later named the CAF Goal of the Year.
It was the opener in a 2002 African Nations Cup qualifier under coach Trott Moloto that was always going to be a tough assignment.
But things got better when Bradley August scored a second just before the hour-mark, before a frenetic final 20 minutes ensued as Rolf-Christel Guie-Mien pulled a goal back for the home side from the penalty spot.
South Africa held on and it was an important victory early in their qualification campaign.
ZAMBIA 0 SOUTH AFRICA 1
Lusaka, October 2006
Under caretaker coach Pitso Mosimane, keeping the bench warm for Carlos Alberto Parreira, South Africa had made a disappointing start to the 2008 Nations Cup qualifiers by drawing 0-0 with Congo at Soccer City.
In their second game away at the Independence Stadium, they were given little chance as Zambia had a long-standing unbeaten record at the venue.
But skipper Aaron Mokoena powered home a 28th-minute header and South Africa bossed the game to win 1-0 and end Zambia's proud record. Mosimane had Gavin Hunt along for the game as an advisor and Parreira came to watch too.
EGYPT 0 SOUTH AFRICA 0
Cairo, June 2011
This was the botched qualifying campaign for the 2012 finals in which both Bafana and Egypt were embarrassingly upstaged by minnows Niger and Sierra Leone, and where Mosimane and his team got the permutations wrong and duffed qualification.
But the games against the Egyptians proved a feather in the cap of the beleaguered coach, even if the match at Ellis Park versus the Pharaohs three months earlier was a hair-raising affair for Bafana and they were most fortunate to snatch a last-minute winner through Katlego Mphela.
But the return in Cairo saw the side superbly organised and defensively sound and to Egypt's frustration there was no way past the defence of Itumeleng Khune, Anele Ngconcga, Tsepo Masilela, Siyabonga Sangweni and Morgan Gould.
With the draw, Egypt were out while South Africa just need two points from the last two games against Niger and Sierra Leone. They managed one.
SUDAN 0 SOUTH AFRICA 3
Khartoum, September 2014
Shakes Mashaba's first game back was a delight for a small band of traveling fans in searing heat as Sibusiso Vilakazi came off the bench to emerge the hero with two goals in a 3-0 away triumph.
The win began the march to the 2015 Nations Cup finals. Sudan looked strong in the first half but their defence, and goalkeeper in particular, went to seed after the break as Vilakazi, who replaced the ineffective debutant Keegan Dolly, reacted quickest to stick away Thulani Hlatshwayo's header from a corner.
Vilakazi followed it with a brilliant feint and shot to settle the result after an hour, before Bongani Ndulula added a third.
NIGERIA 2 SOUTH AFRICA 2
Uyo, November 2014
Tokelo Rantie was on fire as he squandered an early chance, but then broke down the left to score just before halftime and give South Africa an unlikely lead.
Three minutes into the second half it was 2-0 as Rantie outmuscled the defence and weaved through for another. The impossible seemed likely!
But Nigeria pulled one back through Sone Aluko, then saw Reneilwe Letsholonyane get sent off, and right at the end beat a poorly-positioned Darren Keet with a low drive to equalise. The 2-2 draw, however, eliminated Nigeria and cost Samson Siasia his job as coach.
GAMBIA 0 SOUTH AFRICA 4
Bakau, June 2016
The opposition might not have been the greatest, but this 4-0 victory in Bakau in the 2017 Nations Cup qualifiers ranks as Bafana's biggest ever away win in their 25-year history (they also beat Swaziland 5-1 in neutral Windhoek).
Gambia had been causing bigger nations some problems in the years leading up to this game, having had an influx of players from their diaspora in Europe.
The much-maligned Thamsanqa Gabuza set Bafana on their way with a brace inside the first 37 minutes, before Dolly added a fine brace after the break with two great strikes. It was a superb performance in stifling conditions on a very difficult pitch.
NIGERIA 0 SOUTH AFRICA 2
Uyo, June 2017
South Africa started the preliminaries for the 2019 African Nations Cup with a superb 2-0 success in Nigeria.
It was their first ever away win over the Super Eagles, and the first time they had beaten them in a competitive fixture. Bafana were full value for the win too - they had a stone-wall penalty not given and also hit the post twice as Nigeria offered little in return.
Rantie scored the first with a header, before Percy Tau beat the offside trap to race clear and add a second. It was a performance of great skill and maturity against a star-studded Nigeria side.
EGYPT 0 SOUTH AFRICA 1
Cairo, July 2019
South Africa faces hosts Egypt in the round of 16 at the 2019 Cup of nations and were expected to be cannon-fodder after an underwhelming group stage in which they lost two of their three games and only scraped a 1-0 success against Namibia.
But after holding the hosts for much of the game, Bafana took one of their few chances in the game as a lightning counter-attack saw Thembinkosi Lorch net after 85 minutes to stun the home fans.
It was a huge upset against a star-studded Egypt side, though Bafana could not capitalise as they exited in the quarterfinals against Nigeria after a mistake from goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.