It should have been a hatfull of goals

at FNB Stadium GORDON Igesund played it safe with his starting line-up to get this victory yesterday, but his clearly superior side made heavy weather of beating Burkina Faso’s B-team.

Bafana teased the crowd with impressive passing between midfielders Bongani Zungu, David Mathebula and Reneilwe Letsholonyane and scored through Siphiwe Tshabalala in the 22nd minute.

Substitute Luyolo Nomandela got a second in stoppage time, helping the ball in after Lerato Chabangu, also off the bench, had done the hard work.

It was Tshabalala’s 12th goal in 81 appearances for South Africa, but he was one of the main culprits in Bafana’s failure to convert chances later in the match. Bafana sank to the opposition’s level, which was mediocre at best.

There should have been nothing friendly about this clash to celebrate Nelson Mandela— Burkina

Bafana’s forwards didn’t seem to know what to do in the box

Faso ought to have been hammered.

Igesund had hinted in the buildup that he would field a weaker side to take on the Stallions, who had none of their regulars.

But the coach was cautious, picking captain Itumeleng Khune in goal and Thabo Nthethe, Letsholonyane, Tshabalala and Bernard Parker. All five featured three days earlier in the 2-0 defeat to Africa Cup of Nations winners Nigeria in the Nelson Mandela Challenge in Durban.

This match should have been wrapped up in the first half, but Parker and company fluffed numerous chances.

The visitors barely troubled Khune even though debutant Marc van Heerden, at left back, gave winger Cyrille Bayala plenty of space to run at him.

Attempts from Letsholonyane in the first half and a Van Heerden free-kick in the second struck the woodwork.

Bafana’s counter-attacks were pleasing to watch but, when in the Stallions’ box, the forwards didn’t seem to know what to do. They either shifted responsibility or saw their practice session drills go horribly wrong.