A hard-fought 1-0 victory by Bafana Bafana against Eswatini was not enough as the hosts were dumped out of the Hollywoodbets Cosafa Cup at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Tuesday.
In the other Group A fixture, Mozambique overcame Botswana by a 3-1 scoreline at the Wolfson Stadium to top the group and advance.
The host nation scored just two goals in three matches while earning the solitary victory to end the group stages on five points, one behind Kenya who are second in Group B after their 2-0 win over Zimbabwe.
The three group winners and the best-placed second team advanced to the semis.
Bafana started on the front foot by winning an early corner taken by Malebogo Modise.
Eswatini defended the delivery but conceded a second corner, which was again swung in by Modise, but this time he found the head of forward Thabang Sibanyoni who opened SA’s account inside three minutes.
Asenele Velebayi, playing on the left, tormented the visitors’ defence, winning a free kick in the 10th minute, and would have another crack at the defenders as he whipped in a cross that skimmed the crossbar as it flew across the face of the goal.
Sibanyoni had another chance when Thabang Matuludi delivered a cross from the right, but the striker failed to connect and the ball went behind for a goal kick.
A flowing move by the visitors saw Gadlela Machawe put the ball in the back of the net, but the celebrations were short-lived as the offside flag was raised.
Ashley Cupido came close to scoring Bafana’s second but his close-range strike was smartly saved by Eswatini keeper Xolani Gama and the hosts went into the break with a slender one-goal lead.
Eswatini started the second half well as they went in search of an equaliser.
They came close to opening their account when Siphephelo Philiso put the ball in the box and it was headed down and over the bar by Magagula Junior with Mondli Mpoto caught under the incoming cross.
With just over 20 minutes remaining, both coaches decided to shake things up as Helman Mkhalele replaced Liam Bern and Jaedin Rhodes with Athenkosi Mcaba and Lehlohonolo Mojela.
Eswatini, who brought on Bongwa Matsebula for Sizolwethu Shabalala at the start of the second half, made their second change when Leon Manyisa came on in place of Mcolisi Manana.
Mkhalele would have one final throw of the dice in bringing on Mfundo Thikazi and Antoni van Wyk, but it was all in vain as Bafana could not find the goal they needed to progress to the next stage.
HeraldLIVE
Bafana crash out of Cosafa Cup despite victory
Image: MICHAEL SHEEHAN/GALLO IMAGES
A hard-fought 1-0 victory by Bafana Bafana against Eswatini was not enough as the hosts were dumped out of the Hollywoodbets Cosafa Cup at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Tuesday.
In the other Group A fixture, Mozambique overcame Botswana by a 3-1 scoreline at the Wolfson Stadium to top the group and advance.
The host nation scored just two goals in three matches while earning the solitary victory to end the group stages on five points, one behind Kenya who are second in Group B after their 2-0 win over Zimbabwe.
The three group winners and the best-placed second team advanced to the semis.
Bafana started on the front foot by winning an early corner taken by Malebogo Modise.
Eswatini defended the delivery but conceded a second corner, which was again swung in by Modise, but this time he found the head of forward Thabang Sibanyoni who opened SA’s account inside three minutes.
Asenele Velebayi, playing on the left, tormented the visitors’ defence, winning a free kick in the 10th minute, and would have another crack at the defenders as he whipped in a cross that skimmed the crossbar as it flew across the face of the goal.
Sibanyoni had another chance when Thabang Matuludi delivered a cross from the right, but the striker failed to connect and the ball went behind for a goal kick.
A flowing move by the visitors saw Gadlela Machawe put the ball in the back of the net, but the celebrations were short-lived as the offside flag was raised.
Ashley Cupido came close to scoring Bafana’s second but his close-range strike was smartly saved by Eswatini keeper Xolani Gama and the hosts went into the break with a slender one-goal lead.
Eswatini started the second half well as they went in search of an equaliser.
They came close to opening their account when Siphephelo Philiso put the ball in the box and it was headed down and over the bar by Magagula Junior with Mondli Mpoto caught under the incoming cross.
With just over 20 minutes remaining, both coaches decided to shake things up as Helman Mkhalele replaced Liam Bern and Jaedin Rhodes with Athenkosi Mcaba and Lehlohonolo Mojela.
Eswatini, who brought on Bongwa Matsebula for Sizolwethu Shabalala at the start of the second half, made their second change when Leon Manyisa came on in place of Mcolisi Manana.
Mkhalele would have one final throw of the dice in bringing on Mfundo Thikazi and Antoni van Wyk, but it was all in vain as Bafana could not find the goal they needed to progress to the next stage.
HeraldLIVE
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