Bafana share the spoils with Ghana’s Black Stars
South Africa drew with a west African team for the second time in four days after their international friendly with Ghana at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Tuesday ended 1-1.
On a windy evening in Durban, the two coaches, Shakes Mashaba and Avram Grant, made several changes to the teams that had drawn last week to Burkina Faso and Uganda respectively and as a result, the game at times lacked a bit in intensity.
Ghana started the stronger side in the opening 20 minutes, while South Africa lacked the purpose and incision going forwards they had shown in their World Cup qualifier in Ouagadougou on Saturday.
The Black Stars had an early chance after five minutes when Christian Atsu’s deft pass threaded in Abdul Waris, but his shot was well saved by Brighton Mhlongo making his debut in goal for Bafana.
Frank Acheampong wasted another opportunity to turn Ghana’s initial domination into goals when he failed to slide Atsu’s inviting cross in from eight yards out.
South African meanwhile had seen Ayanda Patosi sending a speculative angled shot wide before May Mahlangu strode forward with purpose and went close with a long-range shot as the hosts finally made their mark on the game around half an hour in.
But instead of cranking up the pressure on the west Africans, Bafana handed them the opportunity to take the lead via the penalty spot after a clumsy challenge by Isaac Nhlapo on Harrison Afful. Mubarak Wakaso buried it emphatically and Ghana went ahead in the 38th minute.
The home side breathed new life into the game five minutes into the second half when Sibusiso Vilakazi pulled the ball back for the Belgium-based Patosi, who curled the ball beautifully over Black Stars stopper Adam Kwarasey for his second goal in national team colours.
Chances then failed to materialise at either end as a constant string of substitutions slowed proceedings down, the next action arriving in the 70th minute when Bafana forward Thulani Serero appeared unfortunate not to be awarded a penalty after being taken out by Ghana’s Orlando Pirates hard-man, Edwin Gyimah.
Another Pirates player – home-town boy Thamsaqa Gabuza – spurned the best chance at a winner when he fired wildly over the bar with the goal at his mercy from 15-yards out.
The draw though was a fair reflection of the evening’s play as Mashaba’s side extended their unbeaten run to 13 after a match which entertained but never really scaled any great heights.