South Africa down Egypt in Nelson Mandela Challenge News

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South Africa down Egypt in Nelson Mandela Challenge

By Daily Sports on September 7, 2016

South Africa edged Egypt 1-0 in the annual Nelson Mandela Challenge match at the Orlando Stadium on Tuesday evening.

The result will come as a major relief for under-fire coach Ephraim ‘Shakes’ Mashaba following a morale-sapping 1-1 draw with lowly Mauritania last Friday to wrap up Bafana Bafana’s failed 2017 Africa Cup of Nations campaign.

South Africa claimed the lead in just the seventh minute of play, with Mpho Makola arriving at the back post to coolly head home from an inch-perfect cross by right winger Mandla Masango.

The feat for Makola arrived a year after he marked his Bafana Bafana debut with the only goal against Senegal in the 2015 edition of the Nelson Mandela Challenge.

Egypt battened down the hatches after the goal and made it to half time with the score still 1-0, though they offered relatively little going forward apart from the odd flash of danger when their speedy forwards threatened to get in behind the hosts’ defence.

The Pharaohs were much more inventive after the break and created two good chances within 10 minutes of the restart, with Mahmoud 'Trezeguet' Hassan heading off target before Mohamed Salah somehow shot wide of goal with only Itumeleng Khune to beat.

Yet that was as good as it got for the North African giants, who were unable to muster any further chances to bring themselves back into the game. Both teams will return to action early next month when they participate in the opening round of group matches in 2018 World Cup qualifying.

Photo show Andile Jali of South Africa

Source Daily Sports

Posted September 7, 2016