Israel Saria
Eurosport – Fri, 01 Feb 18:35:00 2008
Senegal and South Africa bowed out of Group D gracefully as they played out a hugely entertaining 1-1 draw at the Baba Yara stadium in Kumasi.
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2010 World Cup hosts South Africa took the lead through Elrio van Heerden’s header, before West Ham striker Henri Camara equalised before half time.
Full back Tsepo Masilela found himself in an advanced position, and fed Teko Modise on the left and the winger curled in a cross to the far post for the unmarked van Heerden to fire a clinical volley low and into the net for his second goal of the tournament after just 14 minutes.
Senegal took the initiative following that goal, and got their reward 20 minutes later when Camara slotted a cool finish past Moeneeb Josephs into the bottom right corner.
Following the departure of their long-time coach Henri Kasperczak on Monday, Lamine Ndiaye took charge of Senegal.
The Terenga Lions, for all their superior power and experience, looked a team out of sorts and could not create many chances beyond Henri Camara’s low shot in the second minute.
It was the more spirited South Africa who looked more convinced that they could win and that they would get a positive result in the Tunisia v Angola match in Tamale.
Bafana-Bafana should have had a penalty moments before he scored the opener, as van Heerden was teripped in the box by Abdoulaye Faye, but referee Alex Kotey waves away his appeals.
The Senegalese players were sparked into action after going behind, with Mamadou Niang in particular lifting his hitherto disappointing efforts, the Marseille man dragging a shot from distance wide.
Despite the second half starting brightly, fatigue and disbelief began to creep into both sides. The refusal of South Africa manager Carlos Alberto Parreira to substitute goalkeeper Moeneeb Josephs drained the momentum from the match, despite him receiving treatment to his bleeding right knee three times, which led to seven minutes of injury time being played.
However, both sides lifted themselves for the final ten minutes, with Modise forcing an acrobatic save from Coundoul, before substitutes Modou Sougou and Waigo Ndiaye combined for a great chance, the former laying on a great cross for the latter to send a diving header just wide.
The excellent Sibusiso Zumo has the chance to win the match and consign Senegal to the bottom of the group, but his close-range header at the far post went wide.
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