Bafana Bafana and Guinea played to an entertaining goalless draw in an international friendly in Belgium on Friday evening.
International Friendly
Result: South Africa 0-0Guinea
Date: 25 March 2022
Venue: Guldensporenstadion
Khuliso Mudau and Bandile Shandu were handed debuts, while Veli Mothwa there also starts for Lyle Foster and Thabang Monare. Meanwhile, Liverpool star Naby Keita was a big miss for Guinea.
Bafana were all over Guinea like a bad rash and Guinea’s cause was not being helped by some amateurish defending.
Five minutes in Keagan Dolly delivered a superb cross from the left but it was just a little bit too high for Evidence Makgopa.
Then Monare did well to dispossess two Guinea players but dragged his shot wide. Another sloppy pass handed the ball to Dolly, who put it around the defender but scuffed the effort on his weaker right foot and it was an easy save for the goalkeeper.
Mudau and Shandu were proving to be inspired selections as the two combined brilliantly to set up Lyle Foster, whose shot was saved by the legs of the goalkeeper.
Foster was once again wasteful when Shandu cut an excellent ball to him in the middle of the box but Foster leant back on his effort and it went comfortably over the bar.
On the stroke of halftime, Siyanda Xulu played an excellent diagonal and Terrence Mashego released Dolly through but his effort was straight at the keeper as Bafana went into the break no doubt ruing their wasted opportunities.
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The beginning of the second half was more of the same with chance after chance being spurned by the South Africans.
Ten minutes into the second period Mashego’s long ball was headed on by Dolly behind the defence and into the path of Makgopa, who was one on one with the keeper and fired a powerful shot but it was down the middle and Guinea keeper Ibrahim Kone showed good reflexes to deflect it up and over the bar.
Guinea, though, did look better after the break and giving Bafana less space and time. However, Shandu was able to get in behind on the hour mark after a good set-up from Foster but the Orlando Pirates wing-back put it wide.
The two swapped roles as this time Shandu turned provider for Foster, whose shot was straight at Kone. Guinea almost stole it against the run of play in the closing stages when Ibrahima Sory Conte’s header from the centre of the box was blocked after Sekou Sylla provided the cross.
In the end, neither side could find the breakthrough and were forced to settle for a draw, as Broos’ charges now turn their attention to world champions France on Tuesday.
Here’s how they lined up:
South Africa: Mothwa, Mudau, Xulu, Sibisi, Mashego, Monare, Mvala, Shandu, Foster, Dolly, Makgopa.
Subs: Bvuma, De Rueck, Mcaba, Mobbie, Lyle Lakay, Brooks, Letsoalo
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