Gift Motupa kept the South African Under-23 team’s hopes alive of qualifying for the Rio Olympics with two goals in three minutes in a 3-2 win over Zambia in Senegal on Tuesday.
The Orlando Pirates star, along with club teammate Menzi Masuku, were the driving forces behind South Africa’s inspired start to the second half after the Zambians had taken the lead 10 minutes before halftime.
What made their performances even more remarkable was the fact that the midfield pair only arrived in Dakar on Monday evening for the Eight Nations Olympic qualifying tournament after featuring for the Buccaneers in the Caf Confederations Cup final second leg in Tunisia on Sunday.
Masuku got the ball rolling for Owen da Gama’s side two minutes after the break when he took the initiative and controlled a bouncing ball inside the Zambian penalty area. Somehow the pint-sized midfielder forced his way through the defence and got the decisive shot away that beat Zambian goalkeeper Toaster Nsabata.
That was the spark the South Africans needed after a lacklustre display in the opening 45 minutes, where the Under-23s were unable to finish off a number of scoring chances after good build-up play. The likes of captain Keagan Dolly, left wing Dumisani Zuma and Wits teenager Phakamani Mahlambi were lively throughout, but the last touch was lacking in the first half.
But after Masuku showed the way, his fellow Pirates star Motupa followed suit. A superb set-piece move from a Dolly corner saw central defender Kwanda Mngonyama heading the ball from the edge of the box, and he found Motupa, who beat Nsabata with another header to give South Africa a 2-1 lead after 52 minutes.
It looked like a well-drilled training ground move, and it was perfect in its execution.
Da Gama’s boys didn’t let up, though, with goalkeeper Jody February’s long ball two minutes later eventually falling to Masuku, who put a wonderful through-ball into Motupa’s path, and the 21-year-old coolly finished to increase SA’s lead to two goals.
The South Africans kept up the pressure in the last quarter, with Dolly, Motupa and Masuku failing to convert further chances.
The defence was also more organised than in the 3-1 opening-round defeat to Senegal, with Abbubaker Mobara in particular getting stuck in with some robust challenges on the Zambians. He earned a yellow card as a result, but his physicality was vital to keep the opposition at bay.
He was well supported by Ajax Cape Town teammate Rivaldo Coetzee, who produced a strong overall display. Coetzee, though, was at fault for Zambia’s first goal as he failed to close down Conlyde Luchanga inside the box, and Luchanga was able to put a stunning volley past February in the 35th minute to give the Zambians the lead.
Zambia managed to ensure a nervy end to the game when defender Billy Mutale’s seemingly tame left-footed shot crept through the SA defence in the 72nd minute, and the South Africans had to resort to some desperate defending in the closing stages.
But they survived the late onslaught, and Da Gama’s charges can still dream of going to Brazil next year.
Their final Group A game is against Tunisia on Friday.
ashfak.mohamed@inl.co.za
@IndyCapeSport