Bafana cruise past Zambia in last friendly before AFCON

Bafana Bafana beat Zambia 3-1 in an entertaining friendly match played at a bumpy Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha

Goals from Oswin Appollis, substitute Mohau Nkota and Sphephelo Sithole made sure that South Africa register their first win over Zambia since 2018 and go into next month’s AFCON in Morocco high on confidence. Substitute Sabobo Banda scored the consolation goal for Chipolopolo.

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Prior to the game coach Hugo Broos said he was looking for a victory in their final friendly before the continental competition and his charges delivered it in style.

The hosts dominated possession and had the better of the early exchanges between the sides. Chipolopolo goalkeeper Toaster Nsabata was called into action as early as the eighth minute of the match, and he did well to save Teboho Mokoena’s free kick just outside the penalty area.

Mokoena, who was playing his 50^th game for Bafana, then tried his luck from long range, but this time it went wide of goal with Nsabata seemingly having it covered.

Zambia used mainly the left flank to attack Bafana where their star player Fashion Sakala was, but Khuliso Mudau was able to keep him quiet and thereby eliminate danger from Chipolopolo. As a result, Bafana goalkeeper Ronwen Williams was hardly troubled by the Zambians.

With the visitors applying a low block in the first half, Bafana were forced to shoot from range. And in the 27^th minute, Lyle Foster also tried his luck from long range, but it went over the crossbar.

Three minutes later, Nsabata did well to put his body on the line to deny Sipho Mbule, also from long range as Bafana continued to pile the pressure on Chipolopolo as they looked for the opener.

Just when it looked as though the sides would go into the break still locked at 0-0 at the half-time break, Appollis broke the deadlock and put Bafana in the lead. The Orlando Pirates attacker was sent through on goal by a perfectly weighted long pass from Bucs teammate Mbule and he slotted the ball past Nsabata with his left foot.

Both sides made changes at the start of the second half in order to change the complexation. For Bafana, the likes of Sipho Chaine, Khulumani Ndamane, Thalente Mbatha and Mohau Nkota were introduced by Broos as he looked to give as many players a chance to impress in this final friendly before the AFCON in Morocco.

The changes proved to be a stroke of genius for Broos, as it was one of his substitutes, Nkota, who doubled Bafana’s lead just after the hour mark. The Al-Ettifaq attacker beat Nsabata with a wonderful finish and it was Mbule again who provided the assist.

Nkota turned provider for Bafana in the 68^th minute when his corner kick was headed home by Sphephelo Sithole

Sakala almost pulled one back for Zambia four minutes later when he eliminated Nkosinathi Sibisi, but Chaine closed the angle for him and his shot ended up going across the goal.

Sabobo pulled one back for Zambia in the referee’s optional time, but it was a little too late for Chipolopolo.