Bafana Bafana scored a goal in each half to beat Zambia 2-0 in the final of the inaugural Four Nations tournament, played at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola, Zambia, on Saturday afternoon.
Percy Tau scored the all-important early goal in the 15th minute, when he took advantage of some poor handling of the ball by Zambian goalkeeper Toaster Nsabata in a crowded goal-mouth.
Any hope that the Zambians had of stealing an equaliser in the dying minutes of the game, were cancelled out when French-based Lebogang Mothiba, who had just come on to the field as a substitute, produced a classy finish to double the score, after some good build up work on the left flank by the South Africans.
89’ Goal! Mothiba finds the net after just coming onto the pitch! ?? 0-2 ?? pic.twitter.com/LPOP14KepS
— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) March 24, 2018
The hosts could well have been level in the 31st minute, when Bafana centre-back defender Thulani Hlatshwayo gave a poor pass to team-mate Daniel Cordoso, which was intercepted by Chipolopolo’s Brian Mwila, but the attacker failed to finish off with any form of confidence.
In the first minute of the second half, Bafana nearly sacrificed their much-prized one-goal advantage when defender Ramahlwe Mphahlele sent a poor quality pass the way of his goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune.
Bafana Bafana with the Four Nations trophy they won in Zambia having beaten the hosts 2-0 at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium with goals from Tau & Mothiba pic.twitter.com/XMgq8ox2eW
— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) March 24, 2018
However, the goalkeeper was able to save his team by keeping the goal-bound shot from Fashion Sakala out of the SA goal-net.
Khune was indeed the busier of the two goalkeepers on the park in pulling off superb saves from a header from central back Ziyo Tembo (53rd minute) and a shot on goal from 21-year-old Festus Mbewe (64th minute).
Tau will know the stadium turf well as he spent more than his fair share of the game on the ground with the Zambians marking him closely in being fully aware of his goal-scoring talent.
Five minutes from full-time, the Mamelodi Sundowns striker seemed to be sent sprawling inside the Zambian penalty area, but play was allowed to continue by the match official.
Bafana and Zambia reached the showpiece final via the penalty shoot-route in seeing off Angola and Zimbabwe on Wednesday.
Bafana Bafana crowned champions of the four nations tournament. @CastleLagerSA @nikefootballza @flysaa pic.twitter.com/BdkUAQzBKZ
— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) March 24, 2018
