Tau on the spot as Bafana edge past Sao Tome

Bafana Bafana got off to a steady if unspectacular resumption to their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign on Friday, as they beat Sao Tome 2-0 in a Group C clash at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.

It wasn’t the rout that Molefi Ntseki may have hoped for against the island side ranked 182^nd in the world, but an improved second half display and a string of chances did finally pay off with a second goal from substitute Bongani Zungu minutes from time, heading home from a corner to set the seal on a victory.

It had taken a penalty to break the deadlock just over ten minutes after the resumption, with Percy Tau brought down in the area, stepping up to slot home himself to give Bafana the lead after an insipid first half display.

South Africa can consider themselves fortunate that they now only have to play the ‘away’ leg in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday, with Sao Tome having agreed to forfeit home advantage because of the travel complications caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

On an artificial surface in Sao Tome, the island nation may well have given Bafana more difficulties, as the Seychelles did in qualifying for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, but Ntseki will still hope for better on Tuesday from a side that battled to create chances from open play.

Even Zungu’s goal came from a corner, the Glasgow Rangers striker giving credence to the idea that he should have started the game, even with his late arrival in the country this week.

Ntseki instead started the game with Kamohelo Mokotjo and Dean Furman in midfield, while Themba Zwane and Tau resumed the partnership they performed in attacking midfield so well in their time at Mamelodi Sundowns.

Tau, indeed, might have doubled his own goal tally after the penalty when sent throuh by Zwane, but his effort was blocked from close range by the Sao Tome goalkeeper Primo.

Primo had a good game for the island side, also making an excellent save from Mosa Lebusa’s header from another corner, not long before Zungu struck to seal a win that moved Bafana to six points from three matches in Group C, three points behind the Black Stars of Ghana, who have nine points after winning all three of their opening group games.

With two teams from the group to qualify for the competition in Cameroon, that has been moved to 2022, Bafana are still in pole position to qualify along with Ghana, and despite their rather poor efforts yesterday, can take one step closer with another victory in a few days time.

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