Foursome Bafana trounce Namibia for first Afcon win

Bafana Bafana turned on the heat to drub neighbours  Namibia 4-0 in the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) Group E tie at Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium in Korhogo on Sunday night, giving themselves a chance of making it to the knockout phase.

Bafana, who are now second in the group, face Tunisia in their last pool game at the same venue on Wednesday. If they do not lose, they should qualify for the Round of 16.

Scoring four unanswered goals also boosted Bafana's goal difference and that could see them qualify as one of the four best third-placed sides, in case they lose to Tunisia and Namibia draw against leaders Mali. Themba Zwane netted a brace with Percy Tau (from the penalty spot) and substitute Thapelo Maseko also on target. It was the biggest result at this Nations Cup, as Bafana joined Equatorial as the only other side to score four goals at this event thus far.

Bafana were so efficient in the first half that they scored three unanswered goals already. Even so, the defence still looked suspect and at times. With Siyanda Xulu dropped for Grant Kekana, there was hope for a stable defence but the latter also put his foot wrong a few times, alongside his central defensive partner and Mamelodi Sundowns teammate Mothobi Mvala

The cracks in Bafana's defence reappeared as early as the eight minute when Kekana was easily muscled off the ball by Namibia skipper and his Brazilians teammate Peter Shalulile, only for Brave Warriors ace to unbelievably squander a very easy chance.

Siphephelo Sithole missed one of the first half's best opportunities, failing to connect his header from a close range. After letting Bafana down by missing an early penalty in their Group E opener against Mali, that eventually ended 2-0 in favour of the West Africans on Tuesday, Tau redeemed himself by slotting home SA's opener on the night from the spot in the 14th minute.

Moroccan referee Samir Guezzaz checked the VAR monitor before giving the penalty, caused by  AmaZulu's left-back Riaan Hanamub by handling the ball inside the box after Thapelo Morena had tried a cross.

Hanamub whipped in a few nice crosses that caught Bafana's defence sleeping. SA doubled their lead courtesy of Zwane, who perfectly picked the spot to beat Chippa United No.2 goalkeeper Lloyd Kazapua after a nice cut-back by Morena in the 25th minute. Zwane completed his brace when he sliced through the Namibia rearguard like a hot knife through butter, before curling the ball past Kazapua just five minutes before the end of first half.

Namibia continued to breach Bafana's defence even in the second stanza but poor finishing proved their major undoing. Bafana mysteriously shied away from delivering crosses, opting for turn-overs instead, even when their bulky striker Evidence Makgopa was waiting in the box. Barely five minutes on the field after replacing Zwane in the 70th minute, Maseko, teed-up by Teboho Mokoena's long ball, put the game to bed by netting Bafana's fourth goal of the night with a powerful shot that beat Kazapua.