Staff Reporter.
South Africa put on a brave and gutsy performance to beat Zimbabwe 3-1 and take control of their World Cup qualification at a packed Free State Stadium on Tuesday.
Thapelo Morena scored a second-half brace as a substitute to see Bafana Bafana to their second win, which brought them level on seven points with Rwanda and Benin at the top of the standings.
The match got off to a thrilling start, with a goal at each end inside the opening two minutes. South Africa claimed the lead with about 30 seconds on the clock after Iqraam Rayners capitalised on a poor give-away from Munashe Garananga and calmly finished with his right foot.
Yet Zimbabwe hit back just over a minute later as Tawanda Chirewa sliced through the defence on the right of the penalty area and stabbed a low shot past the left hand of Ronwen Williams for 1-1.
The hosts went on to dominate possession and created several promising openings in the first 20 minutes, including a powerful drive from Oswin Appollis which forced a fine save from goalkeeper Geofrey Chitsumba.
Zimbabwe offered only a sporadic threat, though Williams was forced into a sharp save at his near post in the 36th minute when Chirewa again broke free down the right of the penalty area.
In the 42nd minute, Rayners was denied by a top save from Chitsumba who tipped his shot over for a corner kick.
Chirewa was a thorn for the Bafana Bafana defence and missed a curler in the 44th minute with Williams well beaten.
Aubrey Modiba couldn’t get the dip from a set-piece in the 45th minute, as both sides headed into the break deadlocked at 1-1.
South Africa made a change at the start of the second half, introducing Morena in place of Elias Mokwana, and they claimed the lead via the substitute in the 55th minute, as he turned home a loose ball at close range after Chitsumba fumbled Appollis’s cross from the left.
And just over 20 minutes later Morena scored a second to stretch the lead to 3-1. Teboho Mokoena played a sublime pass to put Morena through on goal, and he rounded Chitsumba before stroking it into an empty net.
It should’ve been 4-1 for the home side in the 82nd minute, but Appollis directed his shot at Chitsumba.
South Africa saw out the game in the final 10 minutes to move level on points (7) with leaders Rwanda who narrowly beat Lesotho 1-0 in the other evening’s fixture.
Bafana Bafana’s next qualifiers’ clash will be against neighbours Lesotho but only on 17 March 2025, at a venue yet to be decided.