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Durban - Bafana Bafana kick-started their Africa Cup of Nations campaign on Wednesday, climbing to the top of Group A as they eased past Angola with a comfortable 2-0 victory.
After a disappointing opening goalless draw against Cape Verde Islands at the weekend, South Africa were in desperate need for a win, and goals in each half by Siyabonga Sangweni and substitute Lehlohonolo Majoro gave them that in front of a near-50 000 crowd at Moses Mabhida Stadium.
With Cape Verde and Morocco settling for a 1-1 stalemate in the later match of the double header, South Africa need only a draw in their last group match against Morocco on Sunday to reach the playoffs.
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: Bafana v Angola
"We won today, but we can’t get ahead of ourselves. We have a lot of work still to do," Bafana head coach Gordon Igesund said after the game.
Igesund had rung the changes at the start when he made five in total, most of them in attack, and it proved a masterstroke.
"Obviously today I gambled and I said to myself I’m not scared to lose," he said.
"If I can tell the players I’m not scared to lose then I can’t be scared to lose."
The hosts made a slightly cagey start and when the defence back-tracked in the third minute, with a shot opening up for striker Mateus, he dragged his attempt across the face of goal with Bafana goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune left scrambling.
Katlego Mphela, one of the players returning to the starting line-up, had the first real shot at goal for the home team when he fired wide, before captain Bongani Khumalo missed with a header from an excellent Thuso Phala free-kick from the left.
The attacking intent of the hosts was clear and Tokelo Rantie had the next opening after collecting a good ball from over the top by Bernard Parker, although the final shot was once again poor.
Midway through the half, Mphela was again at the heart of the South African attack when he played in to Rantie on the left, but the Sweden-based forward ballooned over with the goal gaping.
But there was no denying the hosts on the half-hour mark when Mphela flicked on Parker’s cross from the right and Sangweni lashed home a left-footed volley to spark intense celebrations in the growing crowd.
The reply was almost instant by the visitors, though, as Guilherme saw his header from a corner scrambled away by Khune.
Igesund’s men continued to venture forward before the break, but they were almost made to pay for more spectator-like defending as Mateus blazed over.
Moments before the break, Parker pushed forward and shot straight at Lama in the Angolan goal, before Rantie headed onto the roof of the net.
It was 1-0 at the break and after the restart Angola should have levelled straight away when Mateus charged down the right and played the ball into the feet of Guilherme in the box, but the shot was blasted straight at Khune.
The ever-present Dean Furman was next to come close for Bafana when he forced Lama to tip away his strike as the game began to open up.
Majoro, introduced in the 58th minute for Rantie, then sent the crowd into ruptures with South Africa’s second goal.
He collected a superb ball over the top from another substitute, Reneilwe Letsholonyane, beat his man on the left and cut back slightly, before firing in between the legs of Lama, at a tight angle, shortly after the hour mark.
There was not much of a response from Angola straight after, apart from a few uncomfortable corners that forced Khune to turn away.
With five minutes remaining, the largely anonymous Manucho could only head tamely at Khune after an inch-perfect cross from Lunguinha on the right.
Majoro almost added a third goal late on when his attempted chip sailed just over, but it mattered little as South Africa celebrated.
"I must say thank you to this wonderful crowd here today," Igesund said.
"From the first whistle to the end they got behind this team and that made a huge difference."
Teams:
South Africa: 16-Itumeleng Khune; 5-Anele Ngcongca, 14-Bongani Khumalo, 21-Siyabonga Sangweni, 3-Tsepo Masilela; 15-Dean Furman, 19-May Mahlangu (12-Reneilwe Letsholonyane 46), 18-Thuso Phala, 17-Bernard Parker; 9-Katlego Mphela (20-Oupa Manyisa 78), 23-Tokelo Rantie (7-Lehlohonolo Majoro 58)
Angola: 1-Lama; 3-Lunguinha, 13-Bastos, 4-Dani Massunguna, 15-Miguel; 16-Pirolito, 6-Dede (11-Gilberto 65), 17-Mateus, 18-Geraldo (7-Djalma Campos 47); 23-Guilherme Afonso (14-Amaro 85), 9-Manucho
Referee: Komlan Coulibaly (Mali)
HAVE YOUR SAY: How do you rate Bafana Bafana's chances in AFCON 2013 after an improved effort in their second match? Can they go deep into the tournament? Send your thoughts to Sport24.
After a disappointing opening goalless draw against Cape Verde Islands at the weekend, South Africa were in desperate need for a win, and goals in each half by Siyabonga Sangweni and substitute Lehlohonolo Majoro gave them that in front of a near-50 000 crowd at Moses Mabhida Stadium.
With Cape Verde and Morocco settling for a 1-1 stalemate in the later match of the double header, South Africa need only a draw in their last group match against Morocco on Sunday to reach the playoffs.
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: Bafana v Angola
"We won today, but we can’t get ahead of ourselves. We have a lot of work still to do," Bafana head coach Gordon Igesund said after the game.
Igesund had rung the changes at the start when he made five in total, most of them in attack, and it proved a masterstroke.
"Obviously today I gambled and I said to myself I’m not scared to lose," he said.
"If I can tell the players I’m not scared to lose then I can’t be scared to lose."
The hosts made a slightly cagey start and when the defence back-tracked in the third minute, with a shot opening up for striker Mateus, he dragged his attempt across the face of goal with Bafana goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune left scrambling.
Katlego Mphela, one of the players returning to the starting line-up, had the first real shot at goal for the home team when he fired wide, before captain Bongani Khumalo missed with a header from an excellent Thuso Phala free-kick from the left.
The attacking intent of the hosts was clear and Tokelo Rantie had the next opening after collecting a good ball from over the top by Bernard Parker, although the final shot was once again poor.
Midway through the half, Mphela was again at the heart of the South African attack when he played in to Rantie on the left, but the Sweden-based forward ballooned over with the goal gaping.
But there was no denying the hosts on the half-hour mark when Mphela flicked on Parker’s cross from the right and Sangweni lashed home a left-footed volley to spark intense celebrations in the growing crowd.
The reply was almost instant by the visitors, though, as Guilherme saw his header from a corner scrambled away by Khune.
Igesund’s men continued to venture forward before the break, but they were almost made to pay for more spectator-like defending as Mateus blazed over.
Moments before the break, Parker pushed forward and shot straight at Lama in the Angolan goal, before Rantie headed onto the roof of the net.
It was 1-0 at the break and after the restart Angola should have levelled straight away when Mateus charged down the right and played the ball into the feet of Guilherme in the box, but the shot was blasted straight at Khune.
The ever-present Dean Furman was next to come close for Bafana when he forced Lama to tip away his strike as the game began to open up.
Majoro, introduced in the 58th minute for Rantie, then sent the crowd into ruptures with South Africa’s second goal.
He collected a superb ball over the top from another substitute, Reneilwe Letsholonyane, beat his man on the left and cut back slightly, before firing in between the legs of Lama, at a tight angle, shortly after the hour mark.
There was not much of a response from Angola straight after, apart from a few uncomfortable corners that forced Khune to turn away.
With five minutes remaining, the largely anonymous Manucho could only head tamely at Khune after an inch-perfect cross from Lunguinha on the right.
Majoro almost added a third goal late on when his attempted chip sailed just over, but it mattered little as South Africa celebrated.
"I must say thank you to this wonderful crowd here today," Igesund said.
"From the first whistle to the end they got behind this team and that made a huge difference."
Teams:
South Africa: 16-Itumeleng Khune; 5-Anele Ngcongca, 14-Bongani Khumalo, 21-Siyabonga Sangweni, 3-Tsepo Masilela; 15-Dean Furman, 19-May Mahlangu (12-Reneilwe Letsholonyane 46), 18-Thuso Phala, 17-Bernard Parker; 9-Katlego Mphela (20-Oupa Manyisa 78), 23-Tokelo Rantie (7-Lehlohonolo Majoro 58)
Angola: 1-Lama; 3-Lunguinha, 13-Bastos, 4-Dani Massunguna, 15-Miguel; 16-Pirolito, 6-Dede (11-Gilberto 65), 17-Mateus, 18-Geraldo (7-Djalma Campos 47); 23-Guilherme Afonso (14-Amaro 85), 9-Manucho
Referee: Komlan Coulibaly (Mali)
HAVE YOUR SAY: How do you rate Bafana Bafana's chances in AFCON 2013 after an improved effort in their second match? Can they go deep into the tournament? Send your thoughts to Sport24.
