Bafana Bafana won the Plate section at the COSAFA Cup after defeating Botswana 2-1 on Sunday morning.
COSAFA Cup Plate Final
Result: South Africa 2-1 Botswana
Date: 17 July 2022
Venue: Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium
Bafana made wholesale changes to the side that beat Madagascar, as only captain Kegan Johannes, his central defence partner Athenkosi Mcaba and Rowan Human retained their places in the line-up.
Bafana were under pressure from Botswana in the early stages but looked dangerous on counter-attacks, although their chances were few and far between.
The Zebras came the closest to breaking the deadlock on 25 minutes after they crowded the box and one of their attackers unleashed a low drive that was acrobatically parried away by goalkeeper Olwethu Mzimela.
Helman Mkhalele's charges picked up their game after that as they advanced forward in numbers and eventually went ahead ten minutes before the halftime break after Van Wyk fired home a strike in the box that deflected into the bottom corner.
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The hosts continued to assert themselves well on the ball but they were not posing danger to the opposition, as Botswana were organised defensively.
The Zebras, however, had spaces on counter-attacks as one of their players came close to finding the equaliser on 67 minutes with a low pile-driver on the edge of the box but Mzimela made a fine save in the bottom corner.
The game was on the edge after that and Botswana were reduced to ten men in the last 12 minutes after Odirile Lekoba was red-carded for serious foul play.
Bafana capitalised on their numerical advantage, as Selaelo Rasebotja doubled their lead immediately thereafter with a strike unmarked in the box from a counter-attack.
While South Africa slowed down the tempo of the game in the closing minutes, Thato Kebue pulled a goal back for Botswana in stoppage time with a deflected strike from the edge of the box.
However, it was too little too late as Bafana Bafana held on to win the plate section of the COSAFA Cup.
Here's how they line up:
South Africa: Mzimela, Mahlangu, Johannes, Mcaba, Cele, Ndhlovu, Shezi, Van Wyk, Mashigo, Human, Malivha
Botswana: Phoko, David, Kolagamo, Kopelang, Velaphi, Cooper, Tauyatswala, Ditsele, Kebue, Thatanyane.
