Match Report: South Africa 1-0 Ghana – Bongokuhle Hlongwane’s scrappy late strike down Black Stars in Johannesburg
An under-strength Black Stars side slipped to a painful 1-0 loss against South Africa at the FNB Stadium in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying game on Monday afternoon.
Maritzburg United center-forward Bongokuhle Hlongwane connected home scrappy finish 6 minutes from the end of the game.
The Bafana Bafana have now leapfrogged Ghana to go top of Group G though Zimbabwe’s clash with Ethiopia could alter the table.
Charles Akonnor went into the game without 7 of the players who featured in the 1-0 victory over Ethiopia on Friday at the Cape Coast Stadium.
Ghana coach Charles Akonnor handed debut start to Hearts of Oak captain Abdul Fatawu Mohammed in place of the absent Andy Yiadom. Columbus Crew defender Jonathan Mensah partnered Alexander Djiku in central defence. Meanwhile Emmanuel Lomotey got the nod to start ahead of Real Mallorca’s Baba Iddrisu Mohammed.
South Africa coach Hugo Broos named a similar line up that drew against Zimbabwe on Friday, maintaining a bulk of the players including Percy Tau, Supersport United’s Teboho Mokoena and Mothobi Mvala. However there were places for Ethan Brooks and Bongokuhle Hlongwane who didn’t start against the Warriors.
The Bafana Bafana began with patient build up from the back with Rushine de Reuck and Nyiko Mobbie getting involved in their development from the back. Often times playmaker Tau was called upon to carry the game to the Ghanaian half with Hlongwane and Brooks aiming to pick the pocket of the Ghanaians though no direct ball found Evidence Makgopa as the crusting partnership of Djiku and Mensah sniffing out any dangerous play from the hosts.
The Black Stars created fewer chances up front as there wasn’t much fluidity from the midfield which feature Yaw Yeboah and Anderlecht’s Majeed Ashimeru.
Percy Tau headed home an Bongokuhle Hlongwane cross beyond Richard Ofori on the 37th minute mark but the Al Ahly man was surprisingly flagged offside. Replays showed the No.10 was clearly onside.
Immediately after the break the Bafana Bafana should have gone ahead after Richard Ofori committed a grievous goalkeeper blunder by failed to stop a Morena cross which passed in between his legs. Fortunately for the Black Stars Evidence Makgopa was not alert at the situation and clumsily booted the ball wide with the goal gaping at him.
Joel Fameyeh was hauled off on the hour mark for Kwame Opoku as Ghana sought to carve out the opener.
Moments later Makgopa watched in disbelief as his flicking header from a Tau cross beat everybody in the Ghana area traversed the goal-line. Six minutes later a brilliant link up play from Tau saw Mvala with an breathtaking overhead kick that kissed off Ofori’s side-net.
Richard Ofori suffered a groin injury and was replaced by Lawrence Ati while midfielder Baba Iddrisu came off the bench to replace Majeed Ashimeru.
Broos responded by taking off Evidence Makgopa for Victor Letsoalo with 10 minutes left on the clock.
South Africa eventually broke the deadlock under scrappy conditions when Bongokuhle Hlongwane smartly connected a low cross, beating Fatawu Mohammed and substitute goalkeeper Ati in the process.
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Source: Sports
