Seychelles hold South Africa in Victoria

by Staff Reporter

Tuesday Oct 16, 2018. 18:00

Seychelles held South Africa 0-0 draw in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualification Group E match at the Stade Linite in Victoria on Tuesday.

As a result, the Pirates remain fourth on the group standings, while Bafana Bafana also remained at the top of the table.

The Pirates of Seychelles were looking avenge the 6-0 defeat to South Africa's Bafana Bafana in an encounter which was played in Johannesburg over the weekend.

Bafana were the better side in the opening stages of the game and they came close to scoring nine minutes into the game.

Lebohang Maboe's goal-bound effort was blocked inside the Seychelles box with goalkeeper Jerome Dingwall well-beaten.

Dingwall was then called into action by Percy Tau, whose cross was pushed away by the shot-stopper in the 25th minute.

South Africa's China-based centre forward Ndlovu was working hard upfront as he looked to put his side into the lead.

Ndlovu's shot from the edge of the Pirates box was deflected out for a corner-kick just after the half-hour mark.

The Seychelles defence looked organized and impenetrable most of the time in the first half.

Seychelles and South Africa were locked at 0-0 at the interval.

Bafana were unfortunate not take the lead after the restart following a great move by the visitors.

Mothiba hit the crossbar from close range with Dingwall well-beaten a minute into the second half.

South Africa head coach Stuart Baxter decided to make the first change of the game two minutes before the hour-mark.

Maboe, who was having a quiet game, was replaced by left-sided attacker Aubrey Modiba as the visitors search for the opening goal.

The Pirates looked dangerous on the counter-attack and they came very close to scoring in the 69th minute.

The Bafana defence was exposed and Darrel Damoo found himself in a one-on-one situation with Bafana keeper Itumeleng Khune, but he placed his effort wide of the target.

The momentum was with South Africa in the closing stages of the encounter, but they were wasteful in front of goal.

Dingwall denied Dean Furman with a great low save, before an unmarked Modiba missed the target from close range with a header.

Seychelles then stood firm at the back against an attack-minded South Africa and ultimately, the game ended in a 0-0 draw.

Seychelles (0) 0
South Africa (0) 0

Seychelles XI: Dingwall, Trevor, Nigel, Marie, Joubert, Waye-HIve (Laurence 86'), Bibi (Coralie 58'), C.Esther, B.Esther, Monnaie (Brutus 79'), Damoo.
South Africa XI: Khune, Mphahlele, Hlanti, Hlatshwayo, Mkwanazi, Furman, Mokotjo, Maboe (Modiba 58'), Tau, Mothiba, Ndlovu.