Johannesburg – Bafana Bafana will go into the second leg of the CHAN 2016 qualifiers with their goal-scoring boots on if they are to secure a place in the tournament in Rwanda.
Shakes Mashaba’s team failed to find the back of the net at the Rand Stadium on Satuday, letting Angola seal the win.
Mateus da Costa and Manuel Afonso scored for the visitors.
Bafana were first to threaten though, with a cross from Luvuyo Memela looking for Bongani Ndulula and Ruggert Nyundu, but the Angolans cleared the danger.
In the 12th minute, a couple of neat touches from Afonso and Alfredo Kulembe led to the winger testing Wayne Sandilands for the first time, but the Bafana goalkeeper was alert to the danger.
Memela then dribbled his way into the opposition box, but was stopped by the Angolan back four.
Afonso wasted an inviting opportunity in the 27th minute, following a low cross from Jacinto Dala.
Sandilands was brought into the action when a powerful Dario de Sosa shot was brilliantly saved by the Mamelodi Sundowns shot-stopper.
Michael Morton fired a long-range effort but Angola ‘keeper Hipolito Damiao saved with ease.
The game went into the break with both teams unable to break the deadlock.
Angola went on the attack in the second period, luring Bafana into making errors at the back.
Percy Tau replaced Ruggert Nyundu in the Bafana team.
His presence was felt immediately, the striker going through on goal with his first touch of the ball.
The visitors took the lead in the 54th minute, courtesy of a long-range strike from De Costa.
As Mashaba’s men went in search of an equaliser, their shots either lacked venom or went wide.
Afonso continued mesmerising on the right wing.
In the 84th minute, a cross from Zwane from the right side almost saw the hosts get the equaliser.
The ball found Memela inside the box, but his header hit the crossbar.
Mashaba’s men continued pressing with Lakay taking charge of most of the attacks, but his shots were either blocked or saved by Damiao.
With the game heading into injury time and Angola looking to take the one-nil goal advantage, star winger Afonso made it 2-0.
Afonso chipped the ball into the net, leaving Sandilands stranded. The hosts looked like a beaten side, their counter-attacks remaining fruitless.
The team will now go into Saturday’s second leg in Luanda with a difficult task, having to score at least three goals and not conceding if they are to pull the rabbit out of the hat.
Rand Stadium
South Africa 0
Angola (0) 2
Da Costa 54, Afonso 90
– THE SUNDAY INDEPENDENT