HISTORY beckoned, but Bafana tripped and fell.
Shakes Mashaba's boys learnt how cruel the game can be last night, when after taking a two-goal lead, they had to settle for a 2-all draw.
Bafana Bafana had already qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations finals coming into this game, but they were determined to finally get that elusive victory over Nigeria in a competitive match.
But it wasn't to be.
The South Africans will be consoled, though, by the fact that they finished the qualifiers on top of group A and were not defeated by any of their opponents, who included Congo and Sudan.
The Super Eagles' substitute, Aluko Omatsone, scored his second of the game in stoppage time to level matters for the African champions and end Bafana's hopes of a historical victory.
Striker Tokelo Rantie had scored a brace to give Bafana a two-goal lead, which left the crowd stunned. The Bournemouth forward broke the deadlock in a solo effort in the 42nd minute. He dribbled his way through the Nigerian defence and when the opportunity presented itself, he calmly slotted the ball home .
The home side's fans were silenced again soon after the restart by the same player.
The former Orlando Pirates man rounded off Nigerian goalkeeper and captain Vincent Enyeama to slot the ball into an empty net.
But it all went wrong when Omatsone pulled one back in the 68th minute when he calmly finished after Ike Uche's shot had come off the upright.
From then on, it went downhill for the visitors.
A few minutes after Nigeria had reduced the deficit, Bafana midfielder Reneilwe Letsholonyane was sent off.
Nigeria then pushed for the equaliser, and they got it. And it was that man again, Omatsone, with the finish.
He broke the hearts of the Bafana players, who could not believe what had happened.
So close yet so far for Bafana - Draw twarts historic win over Nigeria
HISTORY beckoned, but Bafana tripped and fell.
Shakes Mashaba's boys learnt how cruel the game can be last night, when after taking a two-goal lead, they had to settle for a 2-all draw.
Bafana Bafana had already qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations finals coming into this game, but they were determined to finally get that elusive victory over Nigeria in a competitive match.
But it wasn't to be.
The South Africans will be consoled, though, by the fact that they finished the qualifiers on top of group A and were not defeated by any of their opponents, who included Congo and Sudan.
The Super Eagles' substitute, Aluko Omatsone, scored his second of the game in stoppage time to level matters for the African champions and end Bafana's hopes of a historical victory.
Striker Tokelo Rantie had scored a brace to give Bafana a two-goal lead, which left the crowd stunned. The Bournemouth forward broke the deadlock in a solo effort in the 42nd minute. He dribbled his way through the Nigerian defence and when the opportunity presented itself, he calmly slotted the ball home .
The home side's fans were silenced again soon after the restart by the same player.
The former Orlando Pirates man rounded off Nigerian goalkeeper and captain Vincent Enyeama to slot the ball into an empty net.
But it all went wrong when Omatsone pulled one back in the 68th minute when he calmly finished after Ike Uche's shot had come off the upright.
From then on, it went downhill for the visitors.
A few minutes after Nigeria had reduced the deficit, Bafana midfielder Reneilwe Letsholonyane was sent off.
Nigeria then pushed for the equaliser, and they got it. And it was that man again, Omatsone, with the finish.
He broke the hearts of the Bafana players, who could not believe what had happened.
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