Niger, now on nine points, leapfrogged South Africa (eight points) with a victory the "Mena" entirely deserved.
IT WAS always going to be a tough fixture and now Bafana Bafana have ceded the lead of Group G following their 2-1 defeat against a spirited Niger in their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier here yesterday.
Niger, now on nine points, leapfrogged South Africa (eight points) with a victory the "Mena" entirely deserved.
It's a testament to the South Africans' fitness that, having gone 2-0 down, they finished the match the stronger team by far in the hot temperatures after Andile Jali pulled a goal back in the 76th minute.
South Africa's renowned inability to deal with harsh conditions in exotic African locations has now threatened what, until yesterday, had been an exemplary qualification campaign for January's finals in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
The General Seyni Kountche Stadium is a classic west African ground, with its huge metallic light struts and bare concrete stands.
It makes for an intimidating cauldron, and it's easy to why the "Mena" are unbeaten at the stadium in three years.
Bafana need to beat Sierra Leone in next month's fixture and hope Niger don't win in Cairo where they will face an Egyptian Under-23 side.
It shouldn't have been surprising for Bafana that Niger came out playing at 200km/h.
The visitors had to endure a torrid first 15 minutes in which the "Mena" opened the scoring, though Bafana could also have profited from the frantic opening exchanges with a goal of their own.
With refereeing decisions going against the visitors, Niger broke in the sixth minute when Issoufou Alassane appeared well offside. The FC Rabat player's cross forced a timely intercept from Itumeleng Khune to deny the towering striker Ouwo Maazou.
From the breakout, South Africa should have scored. Jali's cut-back from the left fell to unmarked Teko Modise, who could only spoon his effort onto the upright.
A minute later Niger had the lead, defender Dankwa-e-Kofi beating several teammates who stormed into the area to head home Alhassane's cross.
As the game slowed, Bafana settled into some sort of passing rhythm. But rugged home defending and heavy conditions under-foot made it difficult to create chances.
Within a minute of the restart, Niger doubled their lead. Issoufou Boubacar broke down the left and his cross was missed by Tsepo Masilela, allowing Maazou to gratefully finish off the right upright.
SA appeared lost in the game until Jali found space just inside the area and carved an expert finish to the right of goalkeeper Douada Kassali.
With Bafana pushing hard for an equaliser substitute, Daylon Claasen was brought down in the area but Algerian referee Haimoudi Djamel never seemed likely to award an unpopular penalty.
Niger too smart for South Africa
Niger, now on nine points, leapfrogged South Africa (eight points) with a victory the "Mena" entirely deserved.
IT WAS always going to be a tough fixture and now Bafana Bafana have ceded the lead of Group G following their 2-1 defeat against a spirited Niger in their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier here yesterday.
Niger, now on nine points, leapfrogged South Africa (eight points) with a victory the "Mena" entirely deserved.
It's a testament to the South Africans' fitness that, having gone 2-0 down, they finished the match the stronger team by far in the hot temperatures after Andile Jali pulled a goal back in the 76th minute.
South Africa's renowned inability to deal with harsh conditions in exotic African locations has now threatened what, until yesterday, had been an exemplary qualification campaign for January's finals in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
The General Seyni Kountche Stadium is a classic west African ground, with its huge metallic light struts and bare concrete stands.
It makes for an intimidating cauldron, and it's easy to why the "Mena" are unbeaten at the stadium in three years.
Bafana need to beat Sierra Leone in next month's fixture and hope Niger don't win in Cairo where they will face an Egyptian Under-23 side.
It shouldn't have been surprising for Bafana that Niger came out playing at 200km/h.
The visitors had to endure a torrid first 15 minutes in which the "Mena" opened the scoring, though Bafana could also have profited from the frantic opening exchanges with a goal of their own.
With refereeing decisions going against the visitors, Niger broke in the sixth minute when Issoufou Alassane appeared well offside. The FC Rabat player's cross forced a timely intercept from Itumeleng Khune to deny the towering striker Ouwo Maazou.
From the breakout, South Africa should have scored. Jali's cut-back from the left fell to unmarked Teko Modise, who could only spoon his effort onto the upright.
A minute later Niger had the lead, defender Dankwa-e-Kofi beating several teammates who stormed into the area to head home Alhassane's cross.
As the game slowed, Bafana settled into some sort of passing rhythm. But rugged home defending and heavy conditions under-foot made it difficult to create chances.
Within a minute of the restart, Niger doubled their lead. Issoufou Boubacar broke down the left and his cross was missed by Tsepo Masilela, allowing Maazou to gratefully finish off the right upright.
SA appeared lost in the game until Jali found space just inside the area and carved an expert finish to the right of goalkeeper Douada Kassali.
With Bafana pushing hard for an equaliser substitute, Daylon Claasen was brought down in the area but Algerian referee Haimoudi Djamel never seemed likely to award an unpopular penalty.
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