Ghana take down Bafana in Afcon opener
Bafana Bafana slipped to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of the Black Stars of Ghana in their 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at the Cape Coast Stadium on Thursday evening.
Moelfi Ntseki, coach of South Africa during the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers match between Ghana and South Africa at Cape Coast Sports Stadium,Ghana on 14 November 2019 ©BackpagePix
Molefi Ntseki picked Bradley Grobler up front in place of Lebo Mothiba in his first competitive game as head coach and also gave Thato Mokeke a start in midfield alongside Bongani Zungu.
READ MORE: Zungu to miss Sudan clash with knee injury.
Bafana started the game fairly well, with Percy Tau getting plenty of joy down the right wing, and Grobler lashed one excellent chance over the bar in the 16th minute.
South Africa were dealt a blow when Bongani Zungu was forced from the pitch with a knee injury in the 26th minute, and the Amiens midfielder also looks certain to miss Sunday’s second Afcon qualifier at home to Sudan.
Ghana took the lead in the 36th minute, as Atletico Madrid’s Thomas Partey strode forward and his low fizzing shot appeared to wrong-foot Ronwen Williams in the Bafana goal as it found the corner of the net.
It took Ghana until the 80th minute to seal the match, 19 year-old striker Mohammed Kudus leaving Williams with no chance, firing in an unstoppable shot from the edge of the box.
Bafana will hope for better against Sudan on Sunday. Sudan are currently the early leaders in Group C, after they hammered Sao Tome 4-0 at home on Wednesday.
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