Brad Morgan
24 January 2008
South Africa opened its African Nations Cup challenge with a passionate 1-1 draw against Angola in Ghana on Wednesday - ensuring that the country's 2008 campaign will improve on the disastrous results of the previous continental football championships.
Two years ago, South Africa's record in the finals read: played three, lost three. They failed to score a goal to put an exclamation mark on a very disappointing tournament. This time around, Bafana Bafana look capable of much better things. In Wednesday's contest, South Africa enjoyed more possession than the Angolans and, apart from a 15-minute period before halftime, controlled the clash.
Some of the midfield passing was a joy to behold but, as has often been the case, Bafana struggled to finish off the opportunities they created, and there were plenty of missed chances.
Top perfomers
Captain Aaron Mokoena, playing as a defensive midfielder in front of
the back four, led the side well and was effective in his role, while Nasief Morris was rock solid in the centre of defence.
Midfielder Teko Modise showed some excellent touches and was always keen to test Angolan goalkeeper Lama from distance, while Steven Pienaar showed some nice touches, although his influence lessened after a very industrious opening half an hour.
Sibusiso Zuma worked hard up front without making much headway, while "Terror" Fanteni, after coming on as a substitute after halftime, presented the Angolans with a stiff challenge.
Early on, there was encouraging play on the flanks, as Bryce Moon and Pienaar on the right and Simphiwe Tshabalala on the left managed to knock in a number of testing crosses.
It was an encouraging start to the competition by South Africa but, as always, the side's goal output could have been much better considering the chances they created.
Bright start
Mokoena and company
started the game brightly, stringing passes together with eye-catching cohesion, as they took the game to their southern African rivals.
After five minutes, Modise tested Lama with a rasping, swerving shot from 30 metres, which the goalie was forced to knock away.
Moriri then had an excellent chance to score as Pienaar worked himself into space on the right flank and delivered a superb low cross across the face of goal. Somehow Moriri failed to connect from only two metres out and the score remained nil-nil.
A dangerous header back to goalkeeper Moneeb Josephs from defender Benson Mhlongo put the SA defence under pressure as Flavio challenged for the ball, but Josephs was equal to the challenge.
With almost 20 minutes gone, Pienaar almost broke the deadlock. Tshabalala knocked in a good cross from the left, but an Angolan defender just managed to get a boot tip to the ball as it missed the outstretched leg of Pienaar by mere centimetres and close to goal.
Angola's first clear-cut chance came after 25 minutes when Mhlongo fell, leaving Morris in a one-on-one with Flavio. The striker cut inside and shot from 25 metres out, but Josephs confidently caught the ball above his head.
Goal
For most of the opening 30 minutes it had been South Africa doing the pressing and creating the better chances, but they fell behind on the half-hour mark when recent Manchester United signing Manucho gave them the lead.
The ball was played to Flavio on the left, who quickly turned and passed square for Manucho who powered a diving header past Josephs into the 'keeper's top right hand corner.
The goal lifted the confidence of Palancas Negras (The Black Antelopes) significantly and for the rest of the first half they passed the ball nicely, and when they did lose possession, they quickly forced errors from South Africa to claim the ball once again.
The one bright spot during those 15 minutes for South Africa was a header by Zuma at the far post after Lama had misjudged a corner, but he couldn't find the target.
Attacking substitutes
With South Africa trailing 1-nil at halftime, coach Carlos Alberto Parreira immediately made two substitutions, showing he intended to attack by bringing on strikers Lerato Chabangu and "Terror" Fanteni in the place of midfielders Tshabalala and Moriri.
Once the game resumed, Bafana Bafana showed they had found their rhythm again and their attacking intent was clear.
Fanteni powered a shot on goal within the first minute, but it was deflected by a lunging block from an Angolan defender.
With 52 minutes played, Chabangu almost played Fanteni in, but Lama reacted quickly and just beat the SA striker to the ball.
Angolan attacks
Ten minutes later, Ze Kalanga struck a screamer just past Josephs' right post after a neat one-two.
The SA goalkeeper next needed to make a smart save with his legs from Flavio as the striker closed in from the right.
With 13 minutes to go and Pienaar no longer a big factor in the game, Parreira pulled him off and sent on Elrio van Heerden in his place, SA's third substitution.
Pushing for an equaliser, Fanteni brought out the best in Lama, who was forced into a full length dive to his right to parry away a powerful drive by the striker.
Shortly afterwards, it appeared that South Africa had levelled matters. However, Aaron Mokoena's header from close range just failed to cross the goal line and then a free kick was awarded to the Angolans.
An equaliser ... at last
It seemed Bafana Bafana were headed for a loss in their opening Cup of Nations clash, but the players were still pushing hard for a goal and, with only three minutes of regulation time left, it finally came and it was well worth the wait.
Running from right to left about 25 metres out, Van Heerden struck a stunner back across the goal into the goalkeeper's top left hand corner, with Lama rooted to the spot and unable to even consider trying to stop an unstoppable cracker.
The delight in the South African team was very evident, and the celebrations, no doubt, contained an element of relief.
Not quite over
Five minutes of extra time were added on.
Morris after breaking up an attack and beating two players fed Zuma up front. The striker tried a snap shot towards the bottom right hand corner, but it was tame and Lama dived down to cover it safely.
Flavio came back for Angola, drilling a shot over the top right corner of Josephs' goal after the South African defenders allowed him some space to run.
Modise then produced the final shot in anger of the contest, forcing the Angolan goalkeeper to punch clear as the game ended in a 1-1 draw.
Group
standings
Earlier on Wednesday, the other two teams in Group D, Senegal and Tunisia, played to a 2-2 draw, leaving all four teams level on one point each.
South Africa next faces 2004 champions Tunisia on Sunday, followed by a clash with Senegal on Thursday, 31 January.
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