Afcon U-23 semis in SA’s crosshairs
Tshepo Ntsoelengoe
Their four points in their first two games have placed the South African national Under-23 team in a good position to qualify for the semifinals of the Africa U-23 Cup of Nations in Egypt.
The South Africans won their second game of the tournament after edging Ivory Coast 1-0 at the Al-Salam Stadium on Tuesday.
It was SuperSport United midfielder Teboho Mokoena, above, who ensured South Africa got a win, striking home a powerful free kick in the 79th minute to give David Notoane’s charges their first victory of the tournament, after playing to a goalless draw against Zambia in the opening match.
However, the victory didn’t come easily for South Africa, with Notoane describing the tie as a “tactical and physical game, but at the end of the day, it was going to take a special moment – a special free kick, perhaps, to determine the result.
“They had their chances and in the beginning we tried to press them high – and you could see in the first 10 to 15 min we had two opportunities from pressing their goalkeeper and pressing the centre-backs.
“Lyle Foster could have scored, if not both, maybe one,” said Notoane.
“But then the game began to be a bit nervy. We expected long balls from them to the striker. Difficult for our boys, but I think our defenders handled it very well.”
Notoane said his team didn’t play the football they normally played, but that he hoped for a better display when they took on Nigeria in their last group stages game tomorrow.
“Not the best of performances from us in terms of the football we wanted to play, but of course in a tournament, it’s very important in the situation we are in, we get the three points and see what happens in the next game.”
South Africa only need a victory or draw to go through to the last-four of the competition going into tomorrow’s match.
They are at the top of Group B log with four points, followed by Nigeria, who are level on three points with Ivory Coast – separated by goal difference – while Zambia are last with only one point.