Bafana stumble against DRC
7 September 2004
South Africa's national soccer team, Bafana Bafana, stumbled against the Democratic Republic of Congo in Kinshasa on Sunday in a 2006 World Cup and African Cup of Nations qualifier, losing 1-0.
The result relegates South Africa to fourth place in qualification group two, after joint leaders DRC and Ghana and third-placed Burkina Faso. Uganda lies fifth in the group, and Cape Verde sixth.
The DRC goal came in the last four minutes of play, when Biscot Mbala shook off two Bafana defenders and the goalkeeper and laid the ball into Kabamba Musasa's path, who had the easiest of tasks blasting the ball into an empty net.
Despite a vocal Congolese crowd that packed the Stade Des Martyrs stadium to capacity, Bafana dominated the better part of the first half, could have wrapped up the match in this stanza, but wild shooting and indecision cost them the game.
In the 19th minute a move by Bafana tore through the home defence with Benedict
Vilakazi releasing Benni McCarthy, but with only the keeper to beat, McCarthy shot wide.
In the 26th minute, Vilakazi's indecision inside the DRC box saw another scoring opportunity go begging. McCarthy again failed to score in the 47th minute when a rebound from a Siyabonga Nomvete shot landed in his path.
The DRC took control of the game in the second half, forcing Bafana onto the back foot and keeping up the pressure.
Musasa nearly scored with a long range shot in the 62nd minute which Hans Vonk had difficulty dealing with. There were, fortunately for Bafana, no DRC players around the box to finish off the rebound.
Bafana play Uganda in October in the last game of the first round of qualifiers. The second round commences in March 2005.
SouthAfrica.info reporter
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