• Home
• | Terms & conditions
• | Contact us
• | RSS

Serbia too good for Bafana

Brad Morgan

13 August 2009

After an encouraging showing in the Fifa Confederations Cup, Bafana Bafana had an opportunity to advance their World Cup preparations in an international friendly at Atteridgeville's Super Stadium in Pretoria on Wednesday night. They squandered the chance, however, going down 3-1 to an impressive Serbia.

The loss equalled Bafana Bafana's worst defeat at home. It would have been the worst ever had it not been for a consolation goal in injury time.

The result was a big setback for South Africa coach Joel Santana, who had arrived back in the country from Brazil on Tuesday after suffering a bout of pneumonia.

Second half meltdown

After a strong opening half, in which Bafana had the better of the chances against a team ranked 14th in the world by Fifa, it all fell apart for the home side in the second period. It was goalless at the break, but when both teams made changes at the break, Serbia's paid off, while Bafana's appeared to affect the team negatively.

"We played well in the first half and created equal opportunities," coach Santana told a press conference after the game. "I had to make substitution in the second half because I wanted to see other players, but we ended up conceding goals.

"The whole team needs to improve. When we were not in possession of the ball, there was no participation to get back into the game. Marking, too, was poor," Santana said, which underlined the fact that many of the Bafana players had been out of action for some time due to a break in their various leagues.

Possession

Serbia's coach Radomir Antic commented: "They lost a lot of possession in the second half, and we took advantage by improving our offensive play."

Santana identified something else that made matters easier for the Serbs in the second half: "Serbia are a very good team," he noted, "but we made it easier for them by conceding too much space in midfield after half-time."

Positive start

South Africa began with positive intent, and almost took the lead only two minutes into the contest. Katlego Mphela fired an impressive free kick from 30 metres out towards goal, but Serbian goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic managed to deflect the powerful shot onto the woodwork.

There was another narrow escape for the White Eagles not long after that when a shot by SA midfield ace Steven Pienaar was deflected into the side netting.

After the home side's bright start, the match quickly deteriorated into a scrappy affair, and it was only as half time approached that both goals were threatened.

Bafana goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune cut out a dangerous cross by Milos Krasic to stop a Serbian attack, while a Teko Modise shot passed narrowly on the wrong side of an upright.

Super tackle

With the whistle about to be blown for the break, MacBeth Sibaya pulled off an excellent tackle to deny Milan Jovanovic a shot on goal from close range.

When South Africa took to the field in the second half, Rowen Fernandez replaced Itumleng Khune in goal, Bongani Khumalo took over from captain Aaron Mokoena in central defence, and Katlego Mphela came on for Steven Pienaar in midfield.

Antic's best move of the game proved to be his decision to insert Zoran Tosic, who plies his trade for Manchester United. From the time the winger entered the match, the Serbians took charge and carried the game to South Africa.

In the 54th minute, Tosic was denied a penalty when it seemed he should have been awarded one after Tshepo Masilela brought him down in the box. South Africa's relief was, however, shortlived.

Opening goal

Two minutes later, Tosic got onto the end of a nicely-weighted through ball, got the better of defender Matthew Booth and then beat Fernandez with a shot into the far corner.

Bafana Bafana tried to respond, and Modise brought an excellent save out of Stojkovic on the hour-mark, but seven minutes later the White Eagles doubled their advantage.

The South African defence failed to deal with a cross from Ivan Obradovic and substitute Danko Lazovic was on hand to lash a half-volley past Fernandez.

Following the goal, South Africa again asked a question of Stojkovic through striker Mphela, who was lively throughout the contest, but the netminder steered the stinging drive away from the goals.

Victory assured

It didn't take long for Serbia to grab a third goal and it was once again Tosic who did the damage. He broke down the right and after beating a couple of players launched a powerful shot at the far post to make absolutely certain of a Serbian victory.

A 3-0 defeat would have been South Africa's worst ever result at home, but Mphela was rewarded for an energetic display when, in injury time, he netted a consolation goal for Bafana Bafana.

Recognising the need for the addition of a quality striker and defender, Santana said: "We are watching Benni [McCarthy] and [Nasief] Morris. No player has been excluded, as I will only finalise my 2010 squad by the end of December, and even then I will only have the squad 95 percent completed."

South Africa next face Germany, ranked fourth by Fifa, in Leverkusen on 5 September, followed by a match against Ireland, number 37 in Fifa's rankings, in Limerick on 9 September.