Bafana crash out of Cosafa Cup
Botswana have last say in penalty shoot-out to face Lesotho in semifinals
South Africa suffered a 5-4 defeat (2-2 after regulation time) on penalties to Botswana in the quarterfinals of the 2019 Cosafa Cup at the Princess Magogo Stadium, in KwaMashu on Sunday afternoon.
First-half goals from Luther Singh and Grant Margeman looked sure to send Bafana Bafana into the final four, but the Zebras responded with goals from Lebogang Ditsele and Thatayaone Ditlhokwe after the break to send the game to a penalty shoot-out.
Following eight successful kicks, Teboho Mokoena missed from the spot before Mothusi Johnson converted to relegate South Africa to the Plate competition for a third successive year.
South Africa opened the scoring in the 19th minute.
Mokoena threaded an eye-ofthe-needle pass to Singh who picked his spot before curling a low shot past the goalkeeper to send the home fans into a state of delirium.
Bafana Bafana doubled their advantage nine minutes later.
The exciting Bafana attacker Kamohelo Mahlatsi teed up with Margeman who controlled the ball before firing a powerful shot past the Zebras shot-stopper from the edge of the area.
Botswana, though, were not going down without a fight and emerged from the tunnel after the break a determined outfit not to be outdone by a youthful South African unit.
The Zebras duly pulled a goal back through Ditsele just after the hour mark with the midfielder rising highest from a corner-kick before nodding the ball past Reyaad Pieterse.
South Africa recovered well from the setback and looked on course for victory, but Botswana had the final say as Ditlhokwe powered a header home in a carbon copy of Ditsele’s goal moments earlier, with virtually the final touch of the game.
Botswana then duly came up trumps in the ensuing penalty shoot-out to set up a clash against Lesotho for a place in the final. –