South Africa have bowed out of the 2024 Cosafa Cup despite a 1-0 win over Eswatini at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium yesterday.
Bafana Bafana defeated Sihlangu Semnikati thanks to an early goal from Thabang Sibanyoni, but they only came home in second place in Group A thanks to Mozambique’s 3-1 win over Botswana in a concurrent match at the Wolfson Stadium.
The Mambas therefore topped the standings in Group A on five points (ranked ahead of SA on goal difference, as their head-to-head was a 1-1 draw last week), and because Group B concluded earlier in the day with both winners Comoros and second-place Kenya on six points, Bafana will not advance as the best runner-up from the three groups.
South Africa built attacking pressure right from the kick-off and claimed the lead in the third minute, with Malebogo Modise’s in-swinging corner kick headed home by Thabang Sibanyoni for 1-0.
The hosts’ Asenele Velebayi almost added a second in the 13th minute, shaving the woodwork from a tight angle after a driving run down the left flank.
Eswatini began to find their feet in the game after the 20 minutes mark and saw Sizolwethu Shabalala drag a shot just wide, before Ayanda Gadlela finished off a smart attacking move by rounding the keeper and finding the net – but his effort was ruled out by a debatable offside call.
Bafana Bafana should have doubled their lead on 37 minutes when they cut through the Sihlangu defence to put Ashley Cupido one-one-one with the goalkeeper, but Xolani Gama made a clutch save to keep the deficit down to one goal.
Eswatini made a change at the start of the second half, replacing Shabalala with Bongwa Matsebula, and they should have levelled the game just after the hour mark.
Siphephelo Philiso did great work down the left flank before whipping in a cross which took goalkeeper Mondli Mpoto out of the game, but Andy Magagula failed to find the net with a virtual open goal to aim for.
South Africa upped their attacking game in the final quarter hour as news of Mozambique leading Botswana in a concurrent game filtered through, though Sihlangu nearly levelled via the left foot of Philiso, only for Mpoto to make a fine save.
The tournament hosts threw numbers forward and Eswatini endured a few nervy moments – most notably when Gama dropped a cross in injury time, but was bailed out by a defender – but ultimately Bafana were unable to add to their advantage.
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