11 September 2013
Zimbabwe handed a mostly South African-based Bafana Bafana a 2-1 beating in an international friendly at Orlando Stadium in Soweto on Tuesday evening.
In fact, 18 of the players on the pitch at the start of the contest ply their trade in the Premier Soccer League (PSL). Goalkeeper Darren Keet was the only South African who plays his football outside of the country.
CHAN
The line-up revealed, perhaps, some of coach Gordon Igesund’s thinking ahead of next year’s African Nations Championships (CHAN), which take place in South Africa from 11 January to 1 February.
The event will feature national teams made up of only home-based players. In the Zimbabwean match, however, Igesund was unable to select any players from Orlando Pirates, who were not considered because of club commitments.
Perhaps, with the Buccaneers’ players playing in their backyard, the result might have been different, but Zimbabwe were full value for their victory.
Scoring chance
The Warriors took the game to Bafana Bafana and created a scoring chance in the very first minute, but Kaizer Chiefs striker Knowledge Musona fired high over the bar.
Keet was then called on to deny Kingston Nkhatha by racing off his line to deny the Amakhosi’s man run onto a long ball.
Khama Billiat enjoyed a fine game and was a constant thorn in the home team’s side. He came close with a long range effort, but was just off target.
After good build-up play, Bernard Parker had a chance for Bafana Bafana 10 minutes from the break, but the Zimbabwean defence scrambled and conceded a corner.
Reneilwe Letsholonyane then put in a good run, but the linesman blew the call and flagged him for being offsides.
Lead
Five minutes into the second half, the Warriors took the lead from a corner. After bringing the ball down smartly off his chest, Musona blasted the ball past Keet, with a powerful left-footed volley that left the goalkeeper helpless.
Billiat posed another question when he tried to set Nkhatha up, but Keet was aware of the danger and came out quickly to snuff it out.
Parker might have levelled for South Africa, but his header was off target, passing to the right of Washington Arubi’s goal.
Tsepo Masilela narrowly missed out on scoring his first goal for Bafana Bafana in the 74th minute, but his shot frustratingly passed just over the bar.
Wrong call
Zimbabwe should have taken a 2-0 lead 10 minutes from time, but Musona was blown up for being offside. Replays suggested the linesman got it wrong again.
The match passed into time added on and four minutes after the regulation 90 Cuthbert Malajila put the Warriors two goals ahead after being set up by Nkhata, whose work left the Sundowns’ man needing only a tap-in to score.
Parker snatched a late consolation goal for South Africa with a shot from distance, but there was no time left to find a second goal and Zimbabwe claimed the spoils 2-1.
