South Africa defeated Angola with a 2-0 win in their second Africa Cup of Nations match
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| South Africa's Tokelo Rantie is challenged by Angola's Dany Massunguna. |
Teams
South Africa: 16-Itumeleng Khune; 5-Anele Ngcongca, 14-Bongani Khumalo, 21-Siyabonga Sangweni, 3-Tsepo Masilela; 15-Dean Furman, 19-May Mahlangu, 18-Thuso Phala, 17-Bernard Parker; 9-Katlego Mphela, 23-Tokelo Rantie
Angola: 1-Lama; 3-Lunguinha, 13-Bastos, 4-Dani Massunguna, 15-Miguel; 16-Pirolito, 6-Dede, 17-Mateus, 18-Geraldo; 23-Guilherme Afonso, 9-Manucho
Referee: Komlan Coulibaly (Mali)
2.55pm GMT
Preamble:
No time for a lengthy preamble due to snow-related misadventures (covering the Africa Cup of Nations while shivering in a London bunker is a little like attending a wine-tasting fiesta with a muzzle. But hey ho, stiff upper lip and all that). Anyway, neither of these teams deserve a lengthy preamble after their frankly boring starts to the tournament. South Africa were particularly drab and they've made plenty of changes in a bid to avoid a first round exit in their tournament they are hosting. The most notable newcomer is Katelego Mphela, the formerly prolific striker who has been brought back after prolonged injury-enforced absences and form dips, all in an effort to boost the attacking power of Bafana Bafana, who were impotent when being held rather easily to a 0-0 draw by Cape Verde on Saturday. Manucho wasn't up to the much for Angola in the first game so he could do with getting his act together too. All in all, better from everyone: that's what we're looking for here.
3.01pm GMT 1 min:
We have kick-off. Angola have not conceded a goal in their last five matches and, of course, shut out a decent Morocco side on Saturday. South Africa will have their work cut out to infiltrate them, though the Impalas do seem set to go for a more attacking approach than they did against the hosts, as Manucho will be partnered by Guilherme Afonso - a striker who plays his club football with FC VAduz, the pride of Liechtenstein.
3.04pm GMT
3 min:
Angola are the first to bare their teeth. After winning the ball in midfield they popped the ball wide to Mateus, who charged in from the right before having a ping from 25 yards. It fizzed a few yards wide.
3.05pm GMT 4 min:
Parker, one of only six South African survivors from their first match, curls a freekick in from the right. Mphela leaps to meet it but lofts his 12-yard header way over the bar.
3.08pm GMT 7 min:
Masilela slides in to dispossess Mateus as the midfielder began to look dangerous again down the right. It's even so far. If you want to liven thigns up, why not get yourself a pair of these?
3.09pm GMT 8 min:
Mphela may not have scored much lately but that doesn't seem to have affected his confidence: he attempts to fire the ball into the net from 35 yards. The outcome is such that his confidence should be well and truly shot now.
3.11pm GMT 10 min:
South Africa go close! It was an in-swinging freekick from Sangweni on the left that cause the trouble: no defender managed to cut it out ... and no forward managed to knock it in, meaning the ball bounced just wide of the far post. "Mphela’s nickname is Killer," notes Julian Beffon, "Of slow-moving worms and high-flying insects, I fear."
3.14pm GMT 12 min:
South Africa take a shot corner and then work the ball to Furman at the edge of the area. His shot is charged down by Pirolito. Angola are defending well but South Africa will be reasonably happy with their start, as they have already shown far more vim and thrust than they did against Cape Verde. Still no sign of sure touches in the opposing box though.
3.16pm GMT 14 min:
South Africa continue to attack. Mphela wriggles his way into the left-hand side of the box and unleashes a shot ... that is unwittingly blocked by Rantie ... who is pulled up for offside despite being onside by about four yards. Oh dear. "Hello Dear Sir, I need to discuss with you regarding a business transaction, please reply," writes Guo Xiang. Certainly, I'll get straight to you after this match. After getting my bank account details too, of course.
3.18pm GMT 16 min:
Angola have yet to wake up. Rantie threatened to give them a cold shower just now when he charged into the box and let fly from 16 yards .... but his shot flew wide.
3.19pm GMT 18 min:
Parker crosses low from the left. Mphela beats the keeper to it at the near post but can't keep the ball in play. It's all Bafana Bafana so far.
3.22pm GMT 21 min:
Angola have so far offered nothing beyond tolerable diligence and the occasional shunt.
3.24pm GMT 23 min:
Nice move by South Africa, featuring some intricate interplay around the Angolan box ... but concluding with a preposterous shot into the clouds by Rantie.
3.28pm GMT 26 min:
Angola have been shockingly bland so far. South Africa are, at least, hinting at enterprise and good intentions, and they have a bit of speed out wide and some nimbleness in their exchanges. Angola are just plodding around bumping into people. And when they get the ball they give it away within a few passes.
3.31pm GMT
GOAL! South Africa 1-0 Angola (Sangweni 29)
South Africa took a short freekick wide on the right and then whipped the ball into the box. It was headed up in the air and Sangweni eyed it intently as it came down and then cracked a fine low volley into the net from a difficult angle about eight yards out. That is exactly what this game - this group - needed: now let's see if Angola have got anything about them.
3.33pm GMT 31 min:
So, Angola do have something about them: dangerous set-pieces. Manucho met a well-delivered corner at the near post and forced Khune into a splendid save!
3.35pm GMT 33 min:
Phala tries to trick his way down the right and into the box but Geraldo puts and end to his conniving. Parker swings in the ensuing corner and Khumalo dives to head wide.
3.37pm GMT 36 min:
Angola feebly surrender possession in midfield. Mahlangu seizes on the breaking ball and gallops forward before sending a low bobbler well wide from 20 yards. Angola are a shambles.
3.40pm GMT 39 min:
Hoooooof! It's Angola's preferred method of approach. And it darn near paid of just now as Dede punt almost ran to Manucho. But Khune reacted quickly to scamper out of his box and head the ball to safety.
3.44pm GMT 42 min:
Appalling! Angola managed to cobble together their best move of the match before clumping a long cross into the box. Manucho cleverly nodded it back to Mateus ..... who bogged the ball 40 yards over the bar!
3.45pm GMT 44 min:
Moments after Lama saves a long shot from Parker, he makes a mess of a cross from the right and is fortunate that Bafana were not able to take advantage. From the wretched to the ridiculous, that's where Angola are heading.
3.48pm GMT Half-time:
It would be a stretch to call that 'good', but it was, at least, better than the first two matches in this group. The changes made by Bafana manager Gordon Igesud have born fruit, with Furman, Mahlangu and Rantie all adding zip to the hosts' attack but Rantie and Mphela have still been guilty of ropey finishing: they should be further in front. Angola have been dire.
4.04pm GMT 46 min:
South Africa substitution: Mahlango, who did well in midfield in the first half, has been replaced by Letsholonaye, presumably owing to injury. Angola were trying to make a substitution too but didn't manage to do so before the ref signaled for the second half to begin. A suitably farcical start to the second half. Speaking of farcical, there's got to be a decent chance of one of these teams matching this, from PSV.
4.07pm GMT 48 min:
Massunguna gets a booking for smashing into Rantie. If you are every trying to get a card, that is an excellent way to go about it.
4.09pm GMT 51 min:
"That's another fight ball played by Angola" - Eurosport summariser (Stuart Robson?) summaries well.
4.11pm GMT 53 min:
A chance for Angola, and a bad miss by Angola. It was elementary in its construction, a charge down the right culminating with a low cross from Mateus. Afonso peeled off his marker and got a good contact on the ball from eight yards but shot straight at Khune.
4.12pm GMT 55 min:
Proper end-to-end action here now! Furman received the ball at the edge of the area and curled a low shot towards the bottom corner. Lama made a meal of dealing with it but just about got enough on it to push it away for a corner.
4.15pm GMT 57 min:
South Africa sub: Majoro on, Rantie off.
4.16pm GMT 59 min:
Angola have improved in this half and shown more ability to supply Manucho and Alonso with a touch of guile, as opposed to the hopeful hoofs they were sending down in the first period. But South Africa remain on top.
4.20pm GMT
GOAL! South Africa 2-0 Angola (Majoro 61)
Moments after Angola botched a chance to score at the other end, they are caught out by a ball over the top. Majoro glides past an oafish challenge by Bastos and then, from an acute angle, slides the ball between Lama's legs and into the net! The hosts are surely going to the top of the group now.
4.22pm GMT 63 min:
Angola change: Gilberto on, Dede calls it a day.
4.24pm GMT 66 min:
Bastos does well to hold off Mphela and prevent South Africa from claiming a third.
4.25pm GMT 68 min:
Dinky build-up by Angola for the first time in the game. Mateus took a pass from Lunguinha and then backheeled the ball back into the full-back's path, only for Lunguinha to aim a weak shot at the keeper from 18 yards. Bad choice.
4.29pm GMT 71 min:
Angola are showing plenty of will to get back into this but South Africa are looking comfortable.
4.30pm GMT 72 min:
Angola cough up the ball in their own half. Mphela aims a cross towards the near post. Majoro tries to poke it past the keeper but only finds the sidenetting.
4.33pm GMT 75 min:
Khumalo concedes a freekick by performing an impromptu scrum with Guilherme at the edge of the area. Will he be made to regret that? No, he wo't, because Gilberto's freekick comes off the wall and goes out for a corner.
4.34pm GMT 76 min:
Khune does a De Gea from the corner but is lucky enough to get away with nothing more serious than another corner. This time his defence tidy up for him.
4.35pm GMT 78 min:
South Africa sub: Manyisa replaces Mphela.
4.38pm GMT 80 min:
Ten minutes to go and Angola still look light years from a comeback. Cape Verde will fancy their chances of beating them in the last game.
4.41pm GMT 83 min:
Lama races out of his box in an attempt to cut out a ball over the top from Parker. But that was rash, as Miguel already had it covered and the keeper's intrusion only caused confusion. Happily, Miguel kept his head sufficiently to well the ball into the stands.
4.42pm GMT
84 min:
Manuho gets proper service for the first time in the game, courtesy of a cross from the right from Lunguinha. The centre-forward leaps above his marker and directs a respectable header towards goal. Khune saves well.
4.42pm GMT 85 min:
Angola substitution: Amaro on, Guilherme off.
4.46pm GMT 88 min:
Amaro collapses to the ground claiming that Ngongca conked him in the face. It is a disgraceful over-reaction, as the defender merely brushed against him. It's rare you see such filth in this tournament.
4.47pm GMT 89 min:
Superb quick thinking and distribution by Khune, who boots the ball downfield to Majoro, who lifts the ball over the keeper from 25 yards ... .and inches over the bar!
4.48pm GMT 90 min:
There will be three more minutes for Angola to disgrace themselves.
4.53pm GMT Full-time:
A deserved victory for South Africa nad a triumph for manager Gordon Igesund, who made five changes to the side that stunk in the first game and saw all the newcomers do well, as did his substitutes in the course of the game. The hosts played with a zip and incision that was entirely lacking in the first match and will now be confident of beating Cape Verde to secure passage to the quarter-finals. Angola were awful.
South Africa: 16-Itumeleng Khune; 5-Anele Ngcongca, 14-Bongani Khumalo, 21-Siyabonga Sangweni, 3-Tsepo Masilela; 15-Dean Furman, 19-May Mahlangu, 18-Thuso Phala, 17-Bernard Parker; 9-Katlego Mphela, 23-Tokelo Rantie
Angola: 1-Lama; 3-Lunguinha, 13-Bastos, 4-Dani Massunguna, 15-Miguel; 16-Pirolito, 6-Dede, 17-Mateus, 18-Geraldo; 23-Guilherme Afonso, 9-Manucho
Referee: Komlan Coulibaly (Mali)
2.55pm GMT
Preamble:
No time for a lengthy preamble due to snow-related misadventures (covering the Africa Cup of Nations while shivering in a London bunker is a little like attending a wine-tasting fiesta with a muzzle. But hey ho, stiff upper lip and all that). Anyway, neither of these teams deserve a lengthy preamble after their frankly boring starts to the tournament. South Africa were particularly drab and they've made plenty of changes in a bid to avoid a first round exit in their tournament they are hosting. The most notable newcomer is Katelego Mphela, the formerly prolific striker who has been brought back after prolonged injury-enforced absences and form dips, all in an effort to boost the attacking power of Bafana Bafana, who were impotent when being held rather easily to a 0-0 draw by Cape Verde on Saturday. Manucho wasn't up to the much for Angola in the first game so he could do with getting his act together too. All in all, better from everyone: that's what we're looking for here.
3.01pm GMT 1 min:
We have kick-off. Angola have not conceded a goal in their last five matches and, of course, shut out a decent Morocco side on Saturday. South Africa will have their work cut out to infiltrate them, though the Impalas do seem set to go for a more attacking approach than they did against the hosts, as Manucho will be partnered by Guilherme Afonso - a striker who plays his club football with FC VAduz, the pride of Liechtenstein.
3.04pm GMT
3 min:
Angola are the first to bare their teeth. After winning the ball in midfield they popped the ball wide to Mateus, who charged in from the right before having a ping from 25 yards. It fizzed a few yards wide.
3.05pm GMT 4 min:
Parker, one of only six South African survivors from their first match, curls a freekick in from the right. Mphela leaps to meet it but lofts his 12-yard header way over the bar.
3.08pm GMT 7 min:
Masilela slides in to dispossess Mateus as the midfielder began to look dangerous again down the right. It's even so far. If you want to liven thigns up, why not get yourself a pair of these?
3.09pm GMT 8 min:
Mphela may not have scored much lately but that doesn't seem to have affected his confidence: he attempts to fire the ball into the net from 35 yards. The outcome is such that his confidence should be well and truly shot now.
3.11pm GMT 10 min:
South Africa go close! It was an in-swinging freekick from Sangweni on the left that cause the trouble: no defender managed to cut it out ... and no forward managed to knock it in, meaning the ball bounced just wide of the far post. "Mphela’s nickname is Killer," notes Julian Beffon, "Of slow-moving worms and high-flying insects, I fear."
3.14pm GMT 12 min:
South Africa take a shot corner and then work the ball to Furman at the edge of the area. His shot is charged down by Pirolito. Angola are defending well but South Africa will be reasonably happy with their start, as they have already shown far more vim and thrust than they did against Cape Verde. Still no sign of sure touches in the opposing box though.
3.16pm GMT 14 min:
South Africa continue to attack. Mphela wriggles his way into the left-hand side of the box and unleashes a shot ... that is unwittingly blocked by Rantie ... who is pulled up for offside despite being onside by about four yards. Oh dear. "Hello Dear Sir, I need to discuss with you regarding a business transaction, please reply," writes Guo Xiang. Certainly, I'll get straight to you after this match. After getting my bank account details too, of course.
3.18pm GMT 16 min:
Angola have yet to wake up. Rantie threatened to give them a cold shower just now when he charged into the box and let fly from 16 yards .... but his shot flew wide.
3.19pm GMT 18 min:
Parker crosses low from the left. Mphela beats the keeper to it at the near post but can't keep the ball in play. It's all Bafana Bafana so far.
3.22pm GMT 21 min:
Angola have so far offered nothing beyond tolerable diligence and the occasional shunt.
3.24pm GMT 23 min:
Nice move by South Africa, featuring some intricate interplay around the Angolan box ... but concluding with a preposterous shot into the clouds by Rantie.
3.28pm GMT 26 min:
Angola have been shockingly bland so far. South Africa are, at least, hinting at enterprise and good intentions, and they have a bit of speed out wide and some nimbleness in their exchanges. Angola are just plodding around bumping into people. And when they get the ball they give it away within a few passes.
3.31pm GMT
GOAL! South Africa 1-0 Angola (Sangweni 29)
South Africa took a short freekick wide on the right and then whipped the ball into the box. It was headed up in the air and Sangweni eyed it intently as it came down and then cracked a fine low volley into the net from a difficult angle about eight yards out. That is exactly what this game - this group - needed: now let's see if Angola have got anything about them.
3.33pm GMT 31 min:
So, Angola do have something about them: dangerous set-pieces. Manucho met a well-delivered corner at the near post and forced Khune into a splendid save!
3.35pm GMT 33 min:
Phala tries to trick his way down the right and into the box but Geraldo puts and end to his conniving. Parker swings in the ensuing corner and Khumalo dives to head wide.
3.37pm GMT 36 min:
Angola feebly surrender possession in midfield. Mahlangu seizes on the breaking ball and gallops forward before sending a low bobbler well wide from 20 yards. Angola are a shambles.
3.40pm GMT 39 min:
Hoooooof! It's Angola's preferred method of approach. And it darn near paid of just now as Dede punt almost ran to Manucho. But Khune reacted quickly to scamper out of his box and head the ball to safety.
3.44pm GMT 42 min:
Appalling! Angola managed to cobble together their best move of the match before clumping a long cross into the box. Manucho cleverly nodded it back to Mateus ..... who bogged the ball 40 yards over the bar!
3.45pm GMT 44 min:
Moments after Lama saves a long shot from Parker, he makes a mess of a cross from the right and is fortunate that Bafana were not able to take advantage. From the wretched to the ridiculous, that's where Angola are heading.
3.48pm GMT Half-time:
It would be a stretch to call that 'good', but it was, at least, better than the first two matches in this group. The changes made by Bafana manager Gordon Igesud have born fruit, with Furman, Mahlangu and Rantie all adding zip to the hosts' attack but Rantie and Mphela have still been guilty of ropey finishing: they should be further in front. Angola have been dire.
4.04pm GMT 46 min:
South Africa substitution: Mahlango, who did well in midfield in the first half, has been replaced by Letsholonaye, presumably owing to injury. Angola were trying to make a substitution too but didn't manage to do so before the ref signaled for the second half to begin. A suitably farcical start to the second half. Speaking of farcical, there's got to be a decent chance of one of these teams matching this, from PSV.
4.07pm GMT 48 min:
Massunguna gets a booking for smashing into Rantie. If you are every trying to get a card, that is an excellent way to go about it.
4.09pm GMT 51 min:
"That's another fight ball played by Angola" - Eurosport summariser (Stuart Robson?) summaries well.
4.11pm GMT 53 min:
A chance for Angola, and a bad miss by Angola. It was elementary in its construction, a charge down the right culminating with a low cross from Mateus. Afonso peeled off his marker and got a good contact on the ball from eight yards but shot straight at Khune.
4.12pm GMT 55 min:
Proper end-to-end action here now! Furman received the ball at the edge of the area and curled a low shot towards the bottom corner. Lama made a meal of dealing with it but just about got enough on it to push it away for a corner.
4.15pm GMT 57 min:
South Africa sub: Majoro on, Rantie off.
4.16pm GMT 59 min:
Angola have improved in this half and shown more ability to supply Manucho and Alonso with a touch of guile, as opposed to the hopeful hoofs they were sending down in the first period. But South Africa remain on top.
4.20pm GMT
GOAL! South Africa 2-0 Angola (Majoro 61)
Moments after Angola botched a chance to score at the other end, they are caught out by a ball over the top. Majoro glides past an oafish challenge by Bastos and then, from an acute angle, slides the ball between Lama's legs and into the net! The hosts are surely going to the top of the group now.
4.22pm GMT 63 min:
Angola change: Gilberto on, Dede calls it a day.
4.24pm GMT 66 min:
Bastos does well to hold off Mphela and prevent South Africa from claiming a third.
4.25pm GMT 68 min:
Dinky build-up by Angola for the first time in the game. Mateus took a pass from Lunguinha and then backheeled the ball back into the full-back's path, only for Lunguinha to aim a weak shot at the keeper from 18 yards. Bad choice.
4.29pm GMT 71 min:
Angola are showing plenty of will to get back into this but South Africa are looking comfortable.
4.30pm GMT 72 min:
Angola cough up the ball in their own half. Mphela aims a cross towards the near post. Majoro tries to poke it past the keeper but only finds the sidenetting.
4.33pm GMT 75 min:
Khumalo concedes a freekick by performing an impromptu scrum with Guilherme at the edge of the area. Will he be made to regret that? No, he wo't, because Gilberto's freekick comes off the wall and goes out for a corner.
4.34pm GMT 76 min:
Khune does a De Gea from the corner but is lucky enough to get away with nothing more serious than another corner. This time his defence tidy up for him.
4.35pm GMT 78 min:
South Africa sub: Manyisa replaces Mphela.
4.38pm GMT 80 min:
Ten minutes to go and Angola still look light years from a comeback. Cape Verde will fancy their chances of beating them in the last game.
4.41pm GMT 83 min:
Lama races out of his box in an attempt to cut out a ball over the top from Parker. But that was rash, as Miguel already had it covered and the keeper's intrusion only caused confusion. Happily, Miguel kept his head sufficiently to well the ball into the stands.
4.42pm GMT
84 min:
Manuho gets proper service for the first time in the game, courtesy of a cross from the right from Lunguinha. The centre-forward leaps above his marker and directs a respectable header towards goal. Khune saves well.
4.42pm GMT 85 min:
Angola substitution: Amaro on, Guilherme off.
4.46pm GMT 88 min:
Amaro collapses to the ground claiming that Ngongca conked him in the face. It is a disgraceful over-reaction, as the defender merely brushed against him. It's rare you see such filth in this tournament.
4.47pm GMT 89 min:
Superb quick thinking and distribution by Khune, who boots the ball downfield to Majoro, who lifts the ball over the keeper from 25 yards ... .and inches over the bar!
4.48pm GMT 90 min:
There will be three more minutes for Angola to disgrace themselves.
4.53pm GMT Full-time:
A deserved victory for South Africa nad a triumph for manager Gordon Igesund, who made five changes to the side that stunk in the first game and saw all the newcomers do well, as did his substitutes in the course of the game. The hosts played with a zip and incision that was entirely lacking in the first match and will now be confident of beating Cape Verde to secure passage to the quarter-finals. Angola were awful.
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