On Saturday, Bafana Bafana and Ivory Coast played out a 1-1 draw in an
international friendly match at Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny.
Hugo Broos’ Bafana Bafana side took the lead through Themba Zwane in the
ninth minute, before Sebastien Haller equalised for the hosts with a free
header in the 66th minute.
Six changes were made to the Bafana side that drew with Eswatini, as
goalkeeper Ronwen Williams, Mothobi Mvala, Khuliso Mudau, Sphephelo
Sithole, Bongokuhle Hlongwane and Lebogang Mothiba were all brought in.
The Elephants had a bright start and came close to equalising shortly
before the half-hour mark after Haller guided a powerful header in the box
just over the crossbar.
Bafana nearly gifted the hosts the equaliser shortly after that after a
mistake in the box by Mvala, but fortunately Haller’s lob over Williams
came off the post.
Bafana had a strong start in the second stanza as Mudau should have
doubled their lead eight minutes later after going clear on goal from a
counter-attack but fired his shot just wide with only shot-stopper Yahia
Fofana to beat.
Jean-Louis Gasset’s troops started to pressurize Bafana and with 66
minutes on the clock, Haller finally levelled matters with a free header
from a cross. With Bafana still under pressure in the last 18 minutes,
Broos made a tactical change, as he brought on Nyiko Mobbie in place of
Mihlali Mayambela.
The Elephants kept Bafana pinned back in and around their box, as they
threatened for the winner but Broos’ men held on in the end, as the sides
finished all square.
⚽️ 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐲
Ivory Coast- 1
South Africa – 1 pic.twitter.com/Mqmbr8XcpX— News Ample (@News_Ample) October 17, 2023
