OWN CORRESPONDENT, Vosloorus | Saturday 6.00pm.
BENNI McCarthy scored on his return to international football as South Africa’s under23 side — Amaglug-glug — defeated Cameroon 2-0 in an Olympic Games qualifier on Saturday.
Voted best player of the 1998 African Nations Cup after finishing joint leading scorer, McCarthy quit last September because he claimed regular national call-ups were hampering his career with Spanish club Celta Vigo.
McCarthy struck after 31 minutes with a flying header past goalkeeper Bernard Zibi and substitute Jabu Pule sealed success from a magnificent 73rd-minute goal.
Victory took South Africa one point clear of Cameroon at the top of the Group B standings with seven. Pre-competition favourites Ghana have one and Guinea none.
While South Africa lacked unavailable Manchester United midfielder Quinton Fortune, Cameroon did not travel with the 10 members of the African Nations Cup-winning squad eligible for the under-23 match.
An official said the players were absent because President Paul Biya hosted a dinner in honour of the Indomitable Lions the same day the Olympic team flew to South Africa.
Cameroon often resorted to shirt pulling and niggling fouls before a 25000 crowd crammed into Vosloorus Stadium south of Johannesburg and Mauritian referee Lee Kim Chong surprisingly cautioned only one player from each side.
The constant stoppages for injuries and free kicks prevented any rhythm developing and South African goalkeeper Emille Baron was hardly troubled beyond the acrobatic deflection of a Jean-Blaise Bouli drive.
McCarthy sprinted ahead of previously-effective marker Aaron Ngui Mbata to steer a David Kannemayer past the outstretched hand of Zibi and put South Africa ahead.
A defence-splitting pass from industrious striker Siyabonga Nomvete set up Pule, who raced into the penalty area and turned a defender before unleashing a left-foot shot that flew into the net off an upright. — AFP