Defending champions Bafana Bafana were knocked out of the COSAFA Cup main stream in the quarter-finals after a 5-4 loss on penalties to Mozambique.
COSAFA Cup
Teams: South Africa v Mozambique
Date: 12 July 2022
Venue: Princess Magogo Stadium
Bafana went for a youthful line-up, as Kegan Johannes skippered the side alongside Athenkosi Mcaba in the heart of defence while Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs strikers Boitumelo Radiopane and Keletso Sifama spearheaded the attack.
The holders had a bright start with enterprising football on the wings that got the crowd on their feet, with Sifama going close on 13 minutes after evading his marker in the box before firing inches wide of the upright.
Mozambique absorbed the pressure well, however, as former Cape Town City left-back Edmilson Dove came close to breaking the deadlock ten minutes later with a low strike from the edge of the box that was tipped around the post by shot-stopper Lincoln Vyver.
After threatening going forward in the first half-an-hour, South Africa ran out of steam in the latter phase of the first stanza, with the Mambas dictating terms but they did not trouble Vyver.
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Radiopane, who was crowded out of the game in the first stanza, had a golden chance just after the hour-mark but he sent his effort over the crossbar, before he was replaced by Antonio van Wyk a minute later.
Bafana continued to have a go at the Mambas but they were not threatening Siluane and Mkhalele threw another attacking dice in the last quarter of an hour, as Jayden Adams replaced Sydney Malivha.
The hosts pinned back Mozambique in their own half, as they were desperate for the winner but the Mambas denied them clear chances as the match ended goalless in regulation time, forcing a the clash into a shoot-out.
Bafana lost the dramatic shoot-out 5-4 in sudden death, as Siyanda Msani missed the decisive spot-kick while Pachoio Lau Ha King scored the winning penalty for the Mambas, who will face Namibia in the semi-finals while South Africa will lock horns with Madagascar in the plate semi-finals on Friday.
Here's how they lined up:
South Africa: Vyer, Mdunyelwa, Mcaba, Msani, Johannes, Rasebotja, Malivha, Maseko, Human, Sifama, Radiopane.
Mozambique: Siluane, Matola, Momade, Dove, Alexander, Decarvalho, Thauzene, Muchanga, Ernesto, Bonde, Ngangy
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