It was a game of two halves, but in the end, Bafana Bafana walked away from their World Cup qualifier against Nigeria with a very valuable point.
The encounter at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium ended 1-1 after goals on either side of half time.
Hugo Broos’ men were unlucky to just be a goal up at the break, and Nigeria could say the same after bossing much of the second half.
Early on, the game started at a frantic pace as both teams looked to create some goal scoring opportunities. Stellenbosch FC’s Iqraam Reyners, preferred to Burnley’s Lyle Foster, made a couple of menacing runs into the Nigeria box, as did the wide players Elias Mokwana and Percy Tau as Bafana grew in confidence.
Bafana were eventually rewarded when Themba Zwane played a brilliant one-two pass with Sphephelo Sithole, found himself with space in the Nigerian box and put the ball in the back of Stanley Nwabali’s net to make it 1-0.
After going a goal up, a solid South African defence was able to keep the home side, who had to resort to shots from distance, at bay.
When they did breach, the ever-dependable Ronwen Williams, kept the score as it was, and that’s how they went into the break.
In the second half, the hosts came out more switched on, and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru equalised immediately when he held the ball up and fired past Williams from the edge of the area.
The goal resulted in a shift in momentum, and suddenly, Bafana were the ones under pressure and needing to keep things tight.
Clearly on top, and with South Africa in sixes and sevens, Nigeria were unlucky not to find themselves in front when Samuel Chukwueze’s close range effort clattered against the crossbar.
And in stoppage time, Lookman had a chance to put the ball in the back of the net, but he could not beat Williams, who produced brilliant reflex save to keep it level.
At full time, it ended 1-1, taking Bafana Bafana to four points after three games of qualifiers. Next week, they will have the chance to get back to winning ways when they host Zimbabwe in Bloemfontein.
IOL Sport