Banyana Banyana were walloped 3-0 in Friday’s third-fourth place play-off match against Algeria at the All Africa Games in Maputo, Mozambique.
Algeria’s Dalila Zerrouki netted her team’s first goal six minutes into the game and the South Africans were unable to recover.
The North Africans closed down any kind of attack with military precision and forced the South Africans into defensive mode.
Banyana’s poor passing did not help as they gave away the little possession they had and, with their confidence shattered in close play, they opted for long shots at goal.
This did little to bother Algeria’s goalkeeper Nassira Rezig as she cleared the few shots which were on target.
Algeria stretched their lead to 2-0 shortly after the interval when striker Naima Bouhani took a shot from a tight angle. The ball deflected off a Banyana player before hitting the back of the net.
By this time South Africa’s second-string side was a spent force and they struggled to keep the Algerians out of their half.
It proved to be a fruitless exercise as Algeria struck for the third and final time in the 72nd minute.
Djamila Marek punished South Africa for some shoddy defence at the goalmouth and she won a tussle with two South African defenders to give her side the unassailable 3-0 lead.
Banyana made a few half-hearted attempts to score a consolation goal but remained unable to pierce Algeria’s imposing defence. — Sapa