Share

Late Bafana goal sinks Norway

Rustenburg - Siphiwe Tshabalala scored in stoppage time to give South Africa a 2-1 win over Norway on Saturday and their first success over European opposition in seven years.

The substitute midfielder unleashed a left-foot drive from outside the penalty area that flew past several defenders and over goalkeeper Jan Knudsen in a friendly that doubled as the Nelson Mandela Challenge.

"I knew I was going to score after working hard on my shooting in training. It was no problem starting on the bench because I believed my turn would come," said Tshabalala.

Victory was a deserved reward for 2009 Confederations Cup and 2010 World Cup hosts South Africa, who snatched a seventh-lead through Bernard Parker only to concede a soft equaliser when Morten Pedersen scored from a free kick.

South Africa last won against a European team when edging Slovenia 1-0 at the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and subsequently lost to Spain, England, Iceland, Germany, Scotland and Italy.

Success will restore confidence ahead of another friendly on Tuesday against Portugal in the Swiss city of Lausanne which pits South Africa against former coach Carlos Queiroz.

"We not only won but also played well against opponents whose defensive structure made it difficult for us to penetrate," admitted Brazil-born South Africa coach Joel Santana.

Victorious captain and defender Aaron Mokoena said the mid-afternoon heat at a revamped Royal Bafokeng Stadium, a venue for the Confederations Cup and World Cup, made it difficult.

"This was a game we needed to win and the Norwegians proved tough opponents. However, we imposed our game on them and recovered well after being rattled by the equaliser."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1473 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2252 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE