Bafana Bafana defeated Botswana 1-0 at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium as they began their COSAFA Cup campaign on a winning note on Tuesday.
TS Galaxy midfielder Ethan Brooks started in midfield alongside Siyethemba Sithebe and new Orlando Pirates man Monnapule Saleng.
Bafana flew out of the blocks early and exposed the Botswana defence in the third minute when Mashweu Mphahlele’s quick throw from the right-hand side sent Thabang Sibanyoni through on goal but his left-footed effort was saved by Zebras goalkeeper Ezekiel Morake.
Bafana were having all the chances and went close via a free kick once again. Monnapule Saleng tried curling his effort it into the far-post corner with the left foot but it went high over the bar.
The Botswanans didn’t come alive until after the opening thirty minutes. Mothusi Johnson cut the ball sent a cut-back to Segolame Boy, but his left-footed strike was tipped over by Veli Mothwa.
And from the resulting corner, the ball was cleared to Gape Mohutsiwa, whose goal bound effort had to be pushed away by Mothwa.
Five minutes after the break, the ball struck Brooks’ arm on the edge of the Bafana box but Johnson failed to hit the target with the free-kick.
Zebra’s striker Thatayaone Kgamanyane threatened the goal twice in quick succession around the hour mark. First, he fired an effort from outside the box on the left-hand side, which was saved in the centre of the goal by Mothwa. And then Mphahlele’s poor header gave him a chance just inside the box and his superb volley thundered back off the crossbar.
After the South Africans survived the series of attacks, they went on to open their account in the 67th minute. A long ball was sent to the left-hand side for Kagiso Malinga who calmly fired home from an acute angle close to the byline, catching Morake by surprise.
However, the Botswanans who actually had the better of the chances in the match, couldn’t get past the South Africans who eventually went on to claim all three points.