Bafana Bafana got their Afcon 2021 qualifying campaign back on track with a 1-0 win over Sudan on Sunday.
After losing 2-0 to Ghana in their opening Group C clash in Cape Coast last Thursday, coach Molefi Ntseki freshened up his team with six changes.
And Bafana Bafana looked up for it from the first whistle at Orlando Stadium.
Within the first five minutes, the hosts had carved up the Sudanese defence a number of times and should have been ahead when Lebo Mothiba failed to make contact with Lebogang Phiri’s cutback and Thabelo Morena had fired just wide.
ON TRACK: Bafana Bafana are back on track with their Afcon campaign. Picture: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix.
France-based Phiri also saw his cross to Thulani Serero go straight at the goalkeeper.
In the 15th minute, Mothiba failed to steer Percy Tau’s left-wing centre home from close range and Kamohelo Mokotjo fired straight to the shotstopper after 26 minutes.
Despite dominating, SA had to wait until the stroke of half time to break the deadlock, when the impressive Phiri smashed a loose ball into the roof of the net from 12 yards out.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/TotalAFCONQ2021?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TotalAFCONQ2021
🇿🇦 South Africa 1-0 Sudan 🇸🇩 pic.twitter.com/fKoB3hjRzF
— CAF (@CAF_Online)
Bafana continued to boss the game after the break, but struggled to add to their lead.
Substitute Kermit Erasmus was another South African frustrated by goalkeeper Ali Aboeshren.
And Bradley Grobler was denied by the offside flag after he pounced on another save by Aboeshren.