Coach Hugo Broos said before the game he would not treat this clash as a friendly, and he urged his players to put in the work against South Africa’s COSAFA neighbours.

Goals from Oswin Appollis, Mohau Nkota, and Sphephelo Sithole were enough to give the South African senior men’s national team a victory that will have given Broos some insight into the personnel at his disposal ahead of the announcement of the final squad for next month’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

Sipho Mbule assists in two of the goals, and the visitors eventually found a late consolation strike through Sabobo Banda to make the final score a lot respectable.

‘Not everyone who earns 50 caps’

Broos paid tribute to Free State-born Teboho Mokoena, who earned his 50th cap during the match.

“I congratulate him, certainly. It is not everyone who earns 50 caps, and now he will even have even more (in the future). Teboho Mokoena has become one of the most important South African national team players.” 

Makoena now joins the likes of Ronwen Williams, Themba Zwane, and Percy Tau, who are among the players who achieved the half-century feat in recent times.

Broos also said despite the win, he wasn’t entirely happy with the team’s performance, saying the tempo of the match was too slow.

The team will now focus on preparation for the African Cup of Nations, which kicks off on 21 December when Morocco will face Comoros at the Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah in Rabat. South Africa’s first game will be against Angola on Monday, 22 December.

OFM Sport/Ilse Smalberger dg