Bafana Bafana won the Cosafa Cup at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Madiba’s birthday yesterday.
Goalkeeper skipper Veli Mothwa was the hero as South Africa edged out a young Senegal side 5-4 in a penalty shootout after a goalless stalemate in the Gqeberha final.
SA and the Lions of Teranga booked their places in the decider with a 3-0 win over Mozambique and a shootout win over eSwatini in Friday’s semifinals, respectively.
Champions!!!!!! #COSAFACup2021 @COSAFAMEDIA #BafanaPride #InOurBlood pic.twitter.com/iLFpOMgFkD
— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) July 18, 2021
The hosts dominated the contest in regulation time, but were frustrated by the guest team from West Africa.
Coach Morena Ramoreboli’s manne couldn’t create any openings of real quality to add to their great goalscoring form in the tournament.
And the frustrations spilled over on both sides of the pitch and off it as Senegal coach Josekh Koto was sent to stands for protesting, but his kids held on to force SA to a penalty shootout.
And it was here where Bafana’s experience finally got them over the line.
After both teams fired home their first two spotkicks, that’s when the first teen broke under pressure.
And it was Bafana’s 19-year-old midfielder Ethan Brooks, who had SA’s third kick saved.
Trailing 3-2, captain Mothwa saved to keep SA in it. He then lined up his side’s fourth, gave his counterpart Papa Ndiaye the eyes and sent him the wrong way with his shot into the right-hand corner to tie it up at 4-4.
With the shootout going to sudden death, Mothwa psyched his opposite number, who sent his kick high over the crossbar and hand SA a fifth Cosafa Cup title.
matthew.marcus@inl.co.za