Bafana ease into next round of CHAN qualifiers

by Staff Reporter

Sunday Jul 05, 2015. 15:12

South Africa sealed their place in the final round of qualifiers for the 2016 African Nations Championship (CHAN) with a 2-0 win away to Mauritius at the Anjalay Stadium in Belle Vue Maurel on Sunday afternoon.

Added to a 3-0 victory in the first leg in Soweto last month, the result sees Bafana Bafana win the preliminary round tie 5-0 on aggregate. They will now face Angola in a two-legged tie in October, with the winners booking a place in the tournament in Rwanda early next year

Shakes Mashaba’s side comfortably dominated possession, but a combination of poor finishing and some fine goalkeeping by Mauritius’ Kevin Jean-Louis saw the game remain scoreless for the better part of 70 minutes.

The closest Bafana came to a goal was an effort from winger William Twala which rebounded off the underside of the crossbar and was then almost turned into his own goal by a defender, while the hosts occasionally threatened on the counter attack but never really tested ‘keeper and captain Itumeleng Khune.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 69^th minute when former Kaizer Chiefs winger Mandla Masango shot on goal direct from a free kick – the ball deflected on its way through the defensive wall and wrong-footed Jean-Louis, who was powerless to stop it finding the back of the net.

Wandisile Letlabika made it 2-0 in the 84^th minute, driving through the middle of the defence before exchanging passes with Ndumiso Mabena and then easily shooting low past the goalkeeper’s left-hand to wrap up the scoring.