Bongokuhle Hlongwane scored a late goal to give Bafana Bafana an important 1-0 win over Ghana at the FNB Stadium on Monday, to move top in Group G of the African World Cup qualifiers.
It was a deserved win for Hugo Broos and his team, who dominated the game from about the 15th minute, and had a legitimate goal over-ruled.
Mubarak Wakaso had a chance in the 5th minute from a free kick, but his shot went directly at Ronwen Williams, while Andre Ayew shot wide two minutes later.
After the Black Stars controlled the early possession, Bafana slowly began to see more of the ball, but chances in the final third were limited, though a Percy Tau free kick in the 25th minute did cause a few problems for the Ghanaian defence and goalkeeper Richard Ofori.
Teboho Mokoena’s free kick in the 31st minute was on target, but Ofori saved but was unable to hold onto the ball, though on the follow up Mothobi Mvala shot high and wide.
Percy Tau had the ball in the back of the net, heading in a Nyiko Mobbie cross, but Tau was incorrectly ruled off-side, and it remained goalless.
Just before halftime Ethan Brooks shot right at Ofori from a set piece, and at the break, with Bafana now dominating, it stayed 0-0.
Bafana should’ve been in the lead in the opening minute of the second half, but Evidence Makgopa couldn’t control the ball and managed to somehow miss from in front of goal, after getting to the end of a good cross from Teboho Mokoena.
Makgopa had another effort in the 55th minute but this time his shot was blocked by the Ghanaian defence, while Bongokuhle Hlongwane headed across the face of the goal from a corner in the 62nd minute.
Mvala went close in the 68th minute, but his overhead kick went just wide of Ofori’s goal.
Finally Bafana took the lead, as Hlongwane made it 1-0 in the 83rd minute, scoring past Lawrence Ati-Zigi, who came on for an injured Ofori, as the Maritzburg United striker got a touch onto a Mokoena cross.
And South Africa held on for an important to win that takes them top of Group G.
Ethiopia host Zimbabwe tomorrow in the other group game, while Bafana will return to Qatar 2022 qualifying action in October, when they face Ethiopia in back-to-back games, playing away on the 6th, before the return leg at home on the 10th.
