Angola get Shaken up
Bafana Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba might sometimes say all the wrong things - the bear of a man is emotional and expressing himself is not always a strong point.
But one cannot deny the 1970s Orlando Pirates defender and captain with a thunderous challenge knows how to get a result. After qualifying for SA's first major tournament since 2008 - this year's Africa Cup of Nations - Mashaba has now steered Bafana through a tricky tie against Angola into the group stages of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup.
Bafana were not overly convincing in last night's 1-0 second-leg victory. But they did their job efficiently, preserving and adding to the 3-1 lead they engineered in an inspired performance in Benguela on Friday.
A 67th-minute own goal by Angola midfielder Manucho Diniz separated the teams last night, making for an ultimately convincing 4-1 aggregate scoreline for the 75th-ranked South Africans against 98th Angola.
Durban is Bafana's happy hunting ground. They love the crowd, atmosphere and pitch at this beautiful stadium.
The South Africans, as can be the case latterly, were not as full-flowing as they had been in Angola. They initially frustrated a Palancas Negras side always chasing the game, then pressurised them, resulting in an opening goal.
Ultimately, Bafana did the job in a professional manner. With a continued chance at the ultimate objective for any national team of these two side's stature - World Cup qualification - at stake, that was as much as one could ask for. For SA, the satisfaction of reaching the group stages and fighting another day. For Angola, the disappointment that for another four years they have no chance of emulating their remarkable 2006 qualification.
Mashaba made three changes from his team in Benguela. Thulani Hlatshwayo replaced the injured Anele Ngcongca at right back, Dean Furman came in for suspended Andile Jali in defensive midfield, and Mpho Makola came in for a benched Thulani Serero on the left.
Angola counterpart Romeu Filemon made eight changes.
It might have been a slightly frustrating first half for Bafana, who could not get a shot on goal. But it was far more so for Angola, who could not achieve their desperate ambition of breaching a polished SA defence. It did take a superb overhead intercept clearance from Rivaldo Coetzee in the 15th minute, with Gelson cocked and ready to shoot, to suppress an early nervous moment.
As the Mexican wave went round Moses Mabhida in a sign of frustration from the home fans, on the pitch it would have been Angola feeling the anxiety. The longer they could not score, the more repeating their 2006 dream slipped away.
There would have been cries of anxiety across Angola when Gelson broke free in the 57th minute, the challenge of Mulomowandau Mathoho only steering the striker wide as, with Bafana keeper Jackson Mabokgwane stranded, the striker attempted to roll the ball in but hit the left upright.
It seemed enough of a wake-up call for Bafana to abandon the "rope-a-dope" and push for a goal as Mashaba brought on Serero for Makola. Minutes later Mandla Masango's cross was headed down by Mathoho into the awkward space between defence and goalkeeper Antonio, and Diniz's attempt to clear only squeezed into the defensive midfielder's own net.