LIVE | FIFA Series: Bafana Bafana v Algeria | Sport

26 Mar 2024

LIVE FEED COMMENTARY

Bafana Bafana - Figure 1
Photo News24

Tashreeq Vardien

South Africa's midfielder #4 Teboho Mokoena celebrates after scoring a goal during the Africa Cup of Nations Round of 16 football match between Morocco and South Africa at the Stade Laurent Pokou in San Pedro on 30 January 2024.

(Photo by SIA KAMBOU / AFP)

Bafana Bafana XI: Williams, Mobbie, Kekana, Xulu, Modiba, Mokoena, Monare, Appollis, Zwane, Mayambela, Rayners.

Algeria XI: Zeghba, Guitoun, Mandi, Madani, Aït-Nouri, Aouar, Bentaleb, Benzia, Amoura, Brahimi, Bounedjah.

Venue: Nelson Mandela Stadium (Algiers, Algeria)

Kick-off: 23:00 (SA time)

2m ago

A goalkeeping error by Williams gifts Algeria with an equaliser. But it was coming no matter how it occurred. The home side had been all over Bafana since the whistle sounded for the second stanza. 

Yacine Brahimi of Algeria takes a right-footed shot from the center of the box, finding the bottom left corner of the goal. He was assisted by Yassine Benzia.

7m ago

52' GOAL! GOAL! GOAL!

12m ago

45' And we're back. The whistle for the second half sounds. 

Double substitution for Algeria.

Ramiz Zerrouki replaces Nabil Bentaleb, while Ahmed Kendouci comes on for Mohammed Amoura.

22m ago

HALF-TIME: Bafana Bafana 2-1 Algeria

Bafana Bafana go into the break in the lead courtesy of a Themba Zwane brace against Algeria at the Nelson Mandela Stadium.

Yassine Benzia opened the scoring after some poor defensive lapses from Hugo Broos's troops before Zwane stepped up twice.

First, he leapt onto a Mihlali Mayambela through ball to equalise before a moment of genius by the attacking midfielder saw him slot a thunder curling effort off the upright and into the back of the net to gift the visitors the lead.

26 March 23:59

That was special. Themba Zwane. Take a bow, lad.

The veteran attacking midfielder smartly cuts in and sinks his teeth into a scintillating strike off the upright and into the back of the net to give Bafana the lead. 

26 March 23:56

45' GOAL! GOAL! GOAL!

26 March 23:56

This friendly match is exciting??????????????????????

Bafana bafana

— Atli (@Atli_ZA_) March 26, 2024

26 March 23:55

Bafana Bafana is on another level tonight.

— ???????????? ???? ??????????. (@Dan24Stock) March 26, 2024

26 March 23:44

The perfect press is implemented and the Monare dispatches the ball to play in Mayambela. The winger slots in a through ball for Zwane, who smartly puts his but in the right place for an equaliser.

26 March 23:39

34' GOAL! GOAL! GOAL!

26 March 23:37

31' A lovely darted sprint from Mokoena as he bursts through Algeria midfield, he finds Mobiba, and with time, the Sundowns left-back seeks to square the ball with oncoming Bafana shirts. Instead his cross finds a Algerian defender.

26 March 23:35

27' An audacious effort by Mohammed Amoura as he attempts a right-footed shot from outside the box, but it sails high and wide to the left of the goal.

26 March 23:32

Yassine Benzia scores with a left-footed shot from the center of the box, finding the bottom right corner of the net. The goal follows a swift counterattack, with Yacine Brahimi assisting.

26 March 23:27

21' GOAL! GOAL! GOAL!

26 March 23:27

16' Teboho Mokoena steps up for a 25-yard free-kick, and his effort slightly dips over the crossbar. 

Funny enough, whenever the Sundowns man is behind the ball at a deadball situation, everyone will hold their breath. Unfortunately for the South African counterpart, his strike went over.

26 March 23:19

8' CHANCE! Mayambela narrowly misses the target with a right-footed strike from the right side of the box, assisted by Iqraam Rayners.

26 March 23:08

2' CHANCE! Mobbie does brilliantly on the right flank and squares a ball to the 18th area. A deflection off an Algerian defender finds Appolis, and he thumps a thunderous shot, beating the goalkeeper but hitting the upright.

26 March 23:05

1' The first half is now officially underway as the referee sounds his whistle. 

26 March 23:05

The teams are out onto the field, there's a bit of drizzle as the national anthems are being belted out by the respective players.

26 March 22:33

Broos opts for 10 changes to the team that started against Andorra. Monare is the only player who keeps his spot.

26 March 22:25

Bafana Bafana have arrived at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Algiers, Algeria, ahead of the FIFA Series match against the North Africans tonight pic.twitter.com/wZImlnt8CR

— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) March 26, 2024

26 March 22:24

Under Hugo Broos's coaching tenure, Bafana Bafana have faced North African opponents four times, securing 2 victories, 1 draw, and 1 loss.

In their encounters against North African teams with Broos at the helm, Bafana suffered a defeat away and claimed a victory at home, with both matches against Morocco in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers ending 2-1.

Additionally, they defeated Morocco 2-0 in the last 16 stage of the 2023 Afcon.

Their other match against a North African opponent was a group stage fixture against Tunisia in the 2023 Afcon Finals, which concluded in a goalless draw.

26 March 22:19

South Africa's upcoming match against Algeria marks their 36th encounter with a North African opponent.

Their record against teams from this region, considering penalty shootout results as draws, stands at 16 wins, 8 draws, and 11 losses in 35 matches.

Moreover, when playing in North Africa, this fixture will be South Africa's 19th game, encompassing matches from the 2004, 2006, and 2019 Africa Cup of Nations Finals.

26 March 22:12

As the fifth encounter between Algeria and South Africa unfolds, the stage is set for a clash of football titans.

With Algeria holding the 43rd spot in FIFA rankings and South Africa positioned at 58th, the battle promises to be intense.

In their past four meetings, each team boasts a single victory, with the scoreboard deadlocked twice in draws.

26 March 22:09

As the sun sets over Algiers, South Africa braces for a defining showdown against North African powerhouses Algeria in the FIFA Series clash at the iconic Nelson Mandela Stadium.

26 March 21:59

WELCOME

LIVE scoring and commentary of the FIFA Series encounter between Bafana Bafana and host nation Algeria.

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