AFCON 2023: South Africa bounce back from opening defeat to brush aside Namibia

Add as a preferred source on Google

South Africa cruised to a 4-0 win over Namibia to get their Africa Cup of Nations campaign back on track on Sunday (January 21) at the Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium in Korhogo, Ivory Coast.

After going down 2-0 to Mali in their opener, Bafana Bafana got off the mark at the second attempt as Themba Zwane hit a brace after Percy Tau’s early penalty, with Thapelo Maseko adding a fourth in the second half.

Namibia started brightly but Prins Tijueza shot straight at goalkeeper Ronwen Williams and an offside flag spared Peter Shalulile’s blushes as he missed from close range.

Momentum shifted when, after a long VAR check, South Africa were awarded a penalty for a handball by Riaan Hanamub as he challenged Thapelo Morena in the box.

Tau, whose penalty miss proved costly against Mali, took responsibility again and this time made no mistake with a low, powerful strike into the right-hand corner.

Namibia’s Absalom Iimbondi then poked over from right in front of goal and four minutes later South Africa doubled their lead, with Morena pulling the ball back from the byline for Zwane to apply a lovely finish, sending the ball just inside the post.

Sphephelo Sithole headed narrowly over, but Zwane all but sealed the win with five minutes of the first half still left, cutting in from the left and shaping to bend the ball beyond Lloyd Kazapua.

And substitute Maseko struck the fourth in the 75th minute, breaking the offside trap before hitting a shot that was too hot to handle for Kazapua.