RUSTENBURG, July 22 (ANA) – Bafana Bafana are through to the final qualifying round of the 2018 African Nations Championship (Chan) after a 1-0 win over Botswana at the Moruleng Stadium on Saturday earned them a 3-0 aggregate victory.
They will now meet Zambia, who breezed past Swaziland, in home and away games in the middle of August. The winner of that tie will book their place at next year’s Chan tournament in Kenya, made up only of domestic-based African players.
South Africa were always in command after their 2-0 win last weekend in Francistown. And with Botswana offering little in the way of a fight-back in Rustenburg, especially in the opening 45 minutes, it proved to be a fairly comfortable afternoon for a side blended with youth and a couple of experienced PSL campaigners like Cole Alexander, Mario Booysen and Bonginkosi Ntuli.
It took just 13 minutes for the goal to arrive, young Kaizer Chiefs striker Ryan Moon making it two goals in two matches when he slotted home after combining well with Platinum Stars marksman Ntuli.
Stuart Baxter’s men continued to enjoy the upper-hand as more chances followed, but Ntuli had an effort blocked before Moon’s attempt was saved by Zebras keeper Mwampule Masule.
With the visiting side posing very little threat in attack, South Africa remained in command, but couldn’t add to the scoreline before the break as the lively Moon allowed another two opportunities to flash by.
Home substitute Dumisani Zuma made a near-immediate impact when he set up Moon eight minutes into the second stanza, but again the former Maritzburg United forward was thwarted by Masule.
As the match moved into the final quarter, Botswana finally started to ask questions of the Bafana defence as a header and then a free kick both went close.
There was another chance for the Zebras in added time, but Hendrick Moyo fired wide as South Africa were able to hold on for a second clean sheet in two weeks while taking a step closer to the final tournament in Kenya in early 2018. – African News Agency (ANA)
