South Africa end on sorry note

AFP, JOHANNESBURG: South Africa had a penalty saved as they were held 1-1 at home by Mauritania on Friday in a disappointing end to a poor 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.
The result before a small crowd at Mbombela Stadium in north-eastern city Nelspruit condemned Bafana Bafana (The Boys) to finishing third in Group M behind winners Cameroon and Mauritania.
Their hopes of qualifying for the tournament proper were already in tatters before the game began.
Guidileye Diallo put Mauritania ahead and Hlompho Kekana equalised in the first half while Thamsanqa Gabuza had a weak second-half spot-kick saved by Mohamed Salah Din Boubacar.
Diallo completed a clinical counter-attack by stroking the ball into the corner of the net and Kekana, renowned for his powerful long-range shooting, scored with his head off a corner.
Gabuza struck the ball tamely and too close to Boubacar, a half-time substitute after Brahim Souleymane was forced off with blood gushing from his mouth after an accidental collision.
Former African champions South Africa were expected to challenge Cameroon for first place, not win only once in six matches and finish behind a country that has never qualified for the tournament.

 

 

South Africa end on sorry note

AFP, JOHANNESBURG: South Africa had a penalty saved as they were held 1-1 at home by Mauritania on Friday in a disappointing end to a poor 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign. The result before a small crowd at Mbombela Stadium in north-eastern city Nelspruit condemned Bafana Bafana (The Boys) to finishing third in Group M behind winners Cameroon and Mauritania. Their hopes of qualifying for the tournament proper were already in tatters before the game began. Guidileye Diallo put Mauritania ahead and Hlompho Kekana equalised in the first half while Thamsanqa Gabuza had a weak second-half spot-kick saved by Mohamed Salah Din Boubacar. Diallo completed a clinical counter-attack by stroking the ball into the corner of the net and Kekana, renowned for his powerful long-range shooting, scored with his head off a corner. Gabuza struck the ball tamely and too close to Boubacar, a half-time substitute after Brahim Souleymane was forced off with blood gushing from his mouth after an accidental collision. Former African champions South Africa were expected to challenge Cameroon for first place, not win only once in six matches and finish behind a country that has never qualified for the tournament.