OWN CORRESPONDENT, Phokeng | Saturday 6.00pm
BAFANA Bafana exceeded expectations with an experimental side to defeat Mauritius 3-0 in a Castle Cup Southern Africa championship first-round match on Saturday.
Debutant Patrick Mayo put Bafana Bafana ahead from a 13th-minute penalty kick, Godfrey Sapula struck with a sweet volley midway through the second half and Siyabonga Nomvete complete the scoring.
Success earned South Africa a home tie against Swaziland in the quarter- finals while newcomers Mauritius were eliminated from the richest regional competition in Africa for national teams.
A depressing build-up saw South African coach Trott Moloto finalise his squad less than 48 hours before the game and field an all-local team because numerous Europe-based stars were unavailable.
Grey, overcast conditions, light rain and a small crowd at the 40000-seat Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace added to the pre-match gloom with many local supporters fearing Mauritius could beat their rivals for the first time.
But South Africa started superbly with the speed and skill of strikers Mayo and Nomvete tormenting Mauritius and when Steeve Curpanen handled the ball it presented Mayo with a penalty chance he gleefully accepted.
The 26-year-old striker from the Bush Bucks club in the Eastern Cape sent goalkepeer Orwin Castel the wrong way and became the ninth South African to score on his senior international debut.
Mauritius should have levelled midway through the first half when a Kersley Appou header rebounded off the post to Jean-Sebastien Bax, but the midfielder fired over an unguarded goal.
The Indian Ocean islanders won the possession battle for much of the second half and were unlucky again when Desire Periatambee saw his shot strike the post and when the ball broke free to Bax, Brian Baloyi parried a fierce drive.
Nomvete set up Sapula for the match-clinching second goal by pushing the ball past three static defenders and he outsprinted two Mauritians before pushing the ball past Castel for the third. — AFP