A hastily assembled Bafana Bafana put up a five-star performance to wallop Mauritius 3-0 at Dobsonville Stadium in an entertaining CHAN qualifier on a cold Saturday afternoon in Soweto.
Bafana Bafana’s preparations were rocked by a spate of massive withdrawals but those who were called up to fill in the void defied the odds as South Africa put the visitors to sword from the word go.
What makes this victory more superb is the fact that the team only trained once - on Friday - after half the team had left camp for their respective clubs.
Goals by in-form Thamsanqa Gabuza and a double by Siphelele Ntshangase condemned the Indian Ocean Islanders to a huge defeat and Bafana Bafana will start as favourites to progress to the next round when the two meet in the return fixture in two weeks’ time in Curepipe.
It could have been worse for the visitors but Bafana Bafana twice were denied by the upright and at times the Mauritius goalkeeper proved the difference between a cricket scoreline and the ultimate 3-0 final result.
Bafana Bafana made a bright start, pinning the visitors in their own half looking for an early breakthrough.
Mauritius relied on some rare counter-attacks and on the 15th minute sent through a threatening corner kick, but the Bafana defence cleared the danger.
Bafana then launched a threatening attack but Gift Motupa’s cracker was well saved by the Mauritius goalkeeper. Marc Van Heerden then sent in a cracking free kick which was again saved by the goalkeeper, but from the resultant corner Thamsanqa Gabuza scored his second goal in Bafana colours with a good finish.
It was 2-0 moments later as Siphelele Ntshangase made it 2-0 as Bafana Bafana threatened to run riot. The goal followed another brilliant build up from the back.
Mandla Masango then hit the upright as Bafana continued to push forward.
Bafana Bafana made it 3-0 when Ntshangase finished off a Gabuza move in which he raced on the left before crossing to Ntshangase who finished with aplomb.
South African continued to pour forward after the break and Van Heerden cracked another shot on the edge of the box but the Mauritius defence kept the danger at bay.
Wave after wave of attacks and Ntshangase could have completed his hat-trick but his deft shot from the edge of the box went tantalisingly wide as Bafana Bafana continued to search for the killer goal.
Van Heerden had yet another chance to add to the scoreline but the Mauritius goalkeeper, who had a blinder between the posts, again foiled him.
Musa Nyatama rifled a powerful shot from the edge of the box but the attempt flew narrowly wide.
Mauritius were forced to finish the game with 10 men on the pitch after David Lengclume was shown a red card for a crude tackle.
Bafana starting 11: Khune (c), van Heerden, Gumede, Letlabika, Mngonyama, Motupa, Nyatama, Masango, Twala, Ntshangase, Gabuza
Subs: Mabokgwane, Madisha, Mabena, Mxoyana, Ntuli, Wana.
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