South Africa, whose build-up to the African Nations Cup was dogged by player-power disputes and cash rows, buried their troubles with a 2-0 victory over newcomers Benin here on Tuesday.
Udinese striker Siyabonga Nomvete was the star of the show grabbing both goals in the second half of the Group D clash to make up for a disastrous first period when he missed a penalty and squandered two other easy, close-range chances.
The win put South Africa, champions in 1996, on top of the group on goal difference ahead of Morocco who had stunned Nigeria 1-0 in Monastir earlier in the day.
Nomvete opened the scoring in the 58th minute when he found the target with a glancing header from a free-kick by 38-year-old John ‘Shoes’ Moshoeu and then made it 2-0 in the 76th minute when he chased down a long, through ball and scored with a fine right-foot drive.
The goals came as a huge relief for Nomvete after a miserable opening in which he missed a penalty.
The 45th minute spotkick was awarded when Benin defender Damien Chrysostome was harshly adjudged by referee Komlan Coulibaly of Mali to have brought down Sibusiso Zuma despite the defender making contact with the ball.
But justice was done when Nomvete sent his right-foot penalty creeping past goalkeeper’s Rachad Chitou’s right-hand post.
Nomvete’s finishing had also been woeful in the 31st and 38th minutes.
First, Chitou did well to parry Jacob Lekgetho’s fierce, long range drive but Nomvete somehow managed to balloon the ball over from three yards out.
Then Nomvete drove against the crossbar from the edge of the six yard box and when the ball fell invitingly back to him, he could only head the return meekly into the hands of Chitou.
Earlier in the first half, Benin, making their debut in the tournament, thought they should have been awarded a penalty when Alain Gaspoz claimed that Thabang Molefe had stopped a goal-bound effort with his arm.
Before South Africa struck, Benin had a glorious chance to open the scoring themselves when skipper Moussa Latoundji cracked a drive onto the crossbar and, like Nomvete before him, could only head the rebound into the hands of goalkeeper Emile Baron.
South Africa had gone into the match in a state of turmoil having sacked coach Shakes Mashaba on the eve of the tournament and replaced him with April ‘Styles’ Phumo.
They recalled veteran midfielder Moshoeu to add some experience to a side missing the likes of Quinton Fortune, Mark Fish, Benni McCarthy and Shaun Bartlett who all had preferred to stay with their European clubs instead of playing in the tournament. – Sapa-AFP