BAFANA Bafana won a tense penalty shoot-out battle against Angola to advance to the final of the Four Nations at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Zambia on Wednesday afternoon.
The two sides were still locked at 1-1 after 90 minutes, even though Bafana should have wrapped things up late in the second half.
Djalma Campos opened the scoring for Angola with a fortuitous goal on the half-hour mark.
But Lebo Mothiba levelled the matters early in the second half.
It was the Angolans who dominated early on, Vladimir Felix’s thunderous shot blocked by the wall inside the first 10 minutes.
But soon Bafana gained a foothold in the game, building patiently from their own half.
Aubrey Modiba had a fierce shot cleared by keeper Lando Mavanga, who was alert to deny the Bafana star with a header.
Dean Furman also fired in a low shot that went inches wide.
Disaster struck, however, as Campos pounced on Buhle Mkhwanazi’s casual pass to put the Sable Antelopes in front.
It only took Bafana five minutes in the second half to find the equaliser, Mothiba netting maiden Bafana goal with his back heel.
The equaliser galvanised the South Africans, with left-back Sifiso Hlanti continuing to pump in the crosses.
Phakamani Mahlambi got himself to the end of one of the crosses but was brought down inside the box.
To his surprise, the referee waved play on, and it wasn’t long before the Egypt-based youngster got replaced by Ryan Moon.
Modiba went out for Siphesihle Ndlovu and things got a bit tense as Bongani Zungu was brought down with a dangerous tackle midway through the second half.
Bafana continued to pile pressure on the Sable Antelopes as young Ndlovu took to international football like a duck to water.
Zungu got a shot blocked as he pounced on a spilled free kick by Furman.
There were two more opportunities, Moon flashing a header wide before Zungu got yanked for Vilakazi, who proved the match-winner on the day.