France-based teenager Katlego Mphela scored as South Africa edged Mauritius 1-0 on Sunday to reach the Cosafa Cup finals.
Racing Strasbourg striker Mphela drilled a deflected free kick past goalkeeper Nicolas Doro after 35 minutes at the King George V Stadium to clinch first place in group A of the new-look Southern Africa football championship.
Mphela, who scored twice in the semifinal triumph over the Seychelles the previous day, displayed pace and industry and is set to be called up for a World Cup qualifier against Uganda in South Africa late next month.
South Africa join defending champions Angola in the four-nation Castle Cup finale in mid-August, and the winners of group B in Namibia and group C in Zambia will complete the line-up.
Success was especially sweet for Bafana Bafana as a much stronger national team were humiliated 2-0 by Mauritius in the first round of the 2004 edition at the same venue.
With European and South African clubs refusing to release players due to domestic commitments, coach Stuart Baxter had to rely largely on reserves, with goalkeeper Brian Baloyi and defender Mbulelo Mabizela adding some experience.
Mauritius had two clear-cut chances to level, with Jerry Louis wasting the first after Baloyi parried a long-range shot from Desire Periatambee into his path before half-time.
South African defender and official man of the match Lucas Thwala cleared off the line from Kervin Godon during the second half after 1998 African Nations Cup custodian Baloyi flapped at an inswinging corner.
Tempers flared when the hosts struggled to find a way past Mabizela and Thwala, and Stephan L’Enfie was sent off in stoppage time for stamping on substitute Rowan Hendricks.
The teams tired in the closing stages after playing on a rain-drenched field just 24 hours earlier with South Africa outclassing the Seychelles 3-0 and Mauritius winning 2-0 against Madagascar.
Namibia host Botswana, Mozambique and group B favourites Zimbabwe play in Windhoek during April. Zambia welcome Lesotho, Malawi and Swaziland to Lusaka two months later. — Sapa-AFP