South Africa emerged with a lot of credit at Durban’s Absa stadium on Thursday night, despite losing 2-1 to a fully fledged, star studded England team.
England’s victory came at a cost, however, as David Beckham was lead off the field after falling awkwardly during a tackle after only five minutes in the second half. He was taken to hospital where it was found that he had fractured his wrist.
The score was an exact repeat of the result of the first match between the two teams played in Manchester in 1997.
Bafana Bafana held the English side to a one-all scoreline at half-time. The game opened sensationally when England took the lead in the first minute when Gareth Southgate headed in a Beckham free kick past Bafana goalkeeper Brian Baloyi.
England nearly went further ahead in the seventh minute when Thabang conceded another free kick which Beckham fired straight at goal. Baloyi spilled the ball from his hands and Owen, following up the loose ball, shot over the crossbar.
Stanton Fredericks replied with a breakaway run down the right wing but his diagonal shot passed across the face of the England goals with goalkeeper David James still on his line.
It was McBeth Sibaya’s turn two minutes later with a free shot at the England goal that saw James diving at full length to his left but the ball shaved the upright.
England were the more cautious of the two sides, building patiently from defence and waiting for the South Africans to come at them while South Africa were the more adventurous and always looked dangerous on the counter-attack.
Fredericks and Delron Buckley often posed problems up the left wing with their fast breaks and South Africa forced the equaliser in the 17th minute when England fullback Danny Mills handled in the penalty area and Mauritian referee Lim Kee Chong immediately awarding a penalty from which Benni McCarthy scored.
Mills was yellow-carded for the offence.
England came back into the picture when Baloyi saved from yet another Beckham free kick and Paul Scholes was off target with his shot from the left of the area in the 19th minute.
South African defender Thabang Molefe also got his name in the book in the 26th minute when he unceremoniously upended Beckham.
A minute later and Baloyi was in action again when Steven Gerrard’s low drive was saved at the second attempt by Baloyi with Emile Heskey in close attention.
At the other end a free header by Shaun Bartlett sailed over the England crossbar from a fine cross by the hard working Sibaya.
In the 35th minute England fullback Mills worked his way into Bafana’s penalty area but sent his shot over the bar.
Baloyi was the busier of the two goalkeepers in the second half but was only beaten once, in the 64th minute, when substitute Frank Lampard found an opening and shot hard at goal to Baloyi’s right.
The goalkeeper lost control of the ball and Emile Heskey, following up, had only to steer the ball into an empty net for England’s winner.
England might have gone further ahead in the 73rd minute when Baloyi pulled off another great save from Lampard.
The teams were as follows:
South Africa: Brian Baloyi, Mbulelo Mabizela, Lucas Radebe (captain), Aaron Mokoena, Thabang Molefe, Stanton Fredericks, Tebogo Mokoena, McBeth Sibaya, Delron Buckley, Shaun Bartlett, Benni McCarthy Substitutes: Moeneeb Joseph, Lucky Lekgwathi, Tony Coyle, Brett Evans, Clement Mazibuko, Jabu Mendu, Lesley Manyathela, Mabhudi Khanyeza
England: David James, Danny Mills, Rio Ferdinand, Gareth Southgate, Phil Neville, David Beckham (captain), Steven Gerrard, Paul Scholes, Trevor Sinclair, Michael Owen, Emile Heskey Substitutes: Paul Robinson, Ian Walker, Matthew Upson, Joe Cole, Jermaine Jenas, Frank Lampard, Darius Vassell, Gareth Barry
– Sapa, Staff reporter