Amajita lose opening match

Johannesburg - South Africa men's Under-20 soccer team suffered a 2-0 defeat to Ghana in the U20 CAF African Youth Championships in Senegal on Monday.

Amajita were forced to play almost the entire second half with 10 men after defender Aubrey Modiba was shown the second yellow card and the red card for two reckless challenges.

Ghana started aggressively with Benjamin Tetteh causing some panic in the Amajita defence.

His first touch resulted in a corner kick but Amajita immediately fashioned their own attack, getting a corner in the fifth minute.

Ghana took the lead in the eight minute when Aubrey Modiba pushed the ball past his own keeper following pressure from Ghana's Prosper Kassim (1-0).

South Africa replied by launching their own attack moments after the goal and Pule Maraisane tested the Ghanaian keeper with a long range shot which goalkeeper Mutawakilu Seidu saved well.

Tetteh was again left unmarked in the box in the 20th minute but his powerful shot was brilliantly saved by Msibi.

Msibi then produced two great saves after the South African defence had been left in sixes and sevens, denying Ghanaians two clear opportunities.

In the 40th minute, Ghana's Yaw Yeboah fired a close range free kick just wide of the stranded Msibi as Ghana chased for the second goal.

Modiba unnecessarily brought down the Ghanaian striker earning himself a yellow card.

Ghana then made it 2-0 a minute before the break through Tetteh after Msibi had prematurely come out of his area.

A desperate Ayabulela Magqwaka could not stop the ball from the line as the West Africans took the match by the scruff of the neck.

Soon after resumption, Modiba got a red card for a reckless challenge.

Enjoying the advantage, Tetteh went on a run but Magqwaka stopped his effort on the line as the West African piled on the pressure.

Msibi once again came to the rescue of Amajita tipping Patrick Asmah's long range effort over the bar before he came off his line to deny Abraham Attobrah.

South Africa threw everything into the attack in a bid to reduce the arrears.