South Africa……………..(1) 1
Zambia…………………….(0) 2
Zambia beat South Africa 2-1 in an international friendly played at Moruleng Stadium on Tuesday evening.
Coming off an impressive 2-0 away win over Nigeria on Saturday in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, coach Stuart Baxter made wholesale changes to that side in a bid to broaden a pool of his players but things didn’t go according to plan.
Lebogang Manyama gave the home side a deserved lead midway through the first half with a solid header from an Andile Jali delicate pass. South Africa could have routed the Zambians in the first half in which they completely dominated the proceedings but having failed to do so gave the visitors a whiff of a chance.
Zambia hit back late in the second half through Brian Mwila and Lubinda Mundia to remove some shine off the weekend result.
Fresh from the win over Nigeria, Bafana Bafana who like the Zambia, made several changes to the team that played in Nigeria, started strongly hardly conceding possession to the visitors.
Tiyani Mabunda was the first to have a real sniff on goal when his long range effort went narrowly wide of the diving Allan Chibwe.
After dominating possession for long periods, Lebogang Manyama nodded the hosts into the lead on the 25th minute. This followed a measured cross by outstanding Kermit Erasmus.
Stand in captain Andile Jali then conjured up a wonderful move but he seemed to have overcooked it as the through ball trickled out for goal kick as Bafana Bafana started to up the antic.
Moments later Erasmus hurried his shot after being put through by Jali and Percy Tau also shot wide as South Africa swarmed all over Zambia.
Manyama could have completed a brace but Chibwe came off his line in time to thwart the Cape Town City striker as he was going for the kill.
For the first 45 minutes, Zambia hardly troubled Darren Keet as the ball spent most of the time in the visitors half.
In the second half, Ronwen Williams came in for Keet as Baxter kept his promise of giving everyone some action.
Donashano Malama who captained Zambia on the night then saw his piledrive brilliantly saved by Williams who tipped the scorching drive for a corner moments into the second half.
That was a hint of what was to come; Mwila and Mundia completing a fighting comeback for the visitors.
Aubrey Ngoma was then brought down in the box on the other end but Zimbabwean referee Nomore Masundire was not interested as he waved play on. It was to be Ngoma’s last action as he was immediately replaced by Lebogang Phiri.