Mabasa's double steers Bafana Bafana to Cosafa Cup semi-finals
Tshegofatso Mabasa (Cosafa Media)
It was not the most clinical performance, but Bafana Bafana got the job done in the end courtesy of a super-substitute performance from Tshegofatso Mabasa.
FT | South Africa 2-1 Eswatini
South Africa booked their place in the 2023 Cosafa Cup semi-finals after earning a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Eswatini in their final Group A fixture on Tuesday.
With a 1-1 draw against Namibia and a 2-1 victory over Botswana, the men's national senior team aimed to secure maximum points in their match against Eswatini.
Eswatini, on the other hand, entered the game on equal footing with Botswana, accumulating three points so far.
The high-stakes fixture between Bafana and Eswatini unfolded simultaneously with the clash between Namibia and Botswana at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
For South Africa, a victory was imperative to avoid any complicated calculations, as only the group winners were guaranteed a spot in the semi-finals.
The runners-up would need to compare their records against those from Group B and Group C to determine their qualification for the final four.
In a match that lacked excitement for the first 51 minutes, neither team posed a significant attacking threat.
However, Eswatini managed to stun the South African home crowd at the Princess Magogo Stadium in KwaZulu-Natal.
Bongwa Matsebula ignited the visiting team's celebrations as he unleashed a powerful strike that rattled the crossbar and went in, capitalizing on Keegan Allan's mishit.
The goal put Eswatini in the lead, leaving the home fans shocked.
Stand-in Bafana head coach Morena Ramoreboli pulled the trigger on a triple substitution with Mabasa replacing Victor Letsoalo, while Tebogo Tlolane and Shaun Mogaila came on for Rowan Human and Thabo Cele, respectively.
The dynamics of the game shifted dramatically within just eight minutes of the three substitutions.
Mabasa made an immediate impact by unleashing a powerful low strike from 18 yards out, beating the Eswatini goalkeeper and levelling the score for Bafana Bafana.
The tides continued to turn in their favour as the Orlando Pirates striker completed his brace, securing a remarkable comeback for the home side.
With a composed tap-in from close range, Mabasa sealed the victory for Bafana Bafana, sparking euphoria among the crowd.
In the upcoming semi-finals, Bafana will face the best runner-up from the other groups.
The most likely opponent for the hosts is Zambia, although it could potentially be Mauritius or Lesotho, depending on the results of Wednesday's matches in Group C.
Meanwhile, Malawi, who surged to win Group B, will meet the winner of Group C in the other semi-final.
Both semi-finals are scheduled for Friday at 15:00 and 18:00, respectively.
