Bafana Bafana misfire in goalless draw against Tanzania
- Martin T
- Jun 6
- 2 min read
Bafana Bafana played out a frustrating goalless draw against Tanzania in an international friendly match staged at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on Friday night.
Despite creating several promising opportunities throughout the game, Hugo Broos' troops failed to find the back of the net, leaving the fans disappointed with the result.
However, the match served a broader purpose for Broos, who used the opportunity to expand his player pool.
With Mamelodi Sundowns players unavailable due to their participation in the FIFA Club World Cup in the USA (June 14 – July 13, 2025), Broos handed debuts to Khulumani Ndamane, Deano Van Rooyen, Simphiwe Salepe, and Mohau Nkota. Additionally, Renaldo Leaner earned his first cap, while Fawaaz Basadien was given the captain's armband for the day.
Bafana Bafana's attack struggled to convert chances into goals throughout the match. Early on, Oswin Appollis had a prime opportunity within the first five minutes, but his shot was cleared off the line. He got another crack just before halftime, but his tame effort posed no threat to the Tanzanian goalkeeper.
Appollis, operating on the left wing, linked up well with Patrick Maswanganyi, who was just a step too slow to connect with a cross in the seventh minute. Ashley Cupido also tried his luck from long range in the 11th minute, but his shot veered slightly wide of the target.
Later, in the 30th minute, Cupido set up Thalente Mbatha, who unfortunately blasted his shot over the bar. Tanzania, meanwhile, managed two attempts in the half through Feisal Salum and Pascal Gaudence; one missed the target, and the other was an easy save for Ricardo Goss.
The second half started with a Bafana set-piece, but Appollis's effort again went wide. It took another 12 minutes for Bafana to register a shot, this time from Tshepang Moremi, which was deflected for a corner that ultimately came to nothing.
Bafana launched a few attacks after a flurry of late substitutions, but that wasn't enough as they struggled to create any clear-cut scoring opportunities until stoppage time, when Relelebohile Mofokeng spotted the goalkeeper off his line. His audacious lob from 40 yards out sailed just over the bar and onto the roof of the net as the game ended goalless
South Africa will look to bounce back in their next match against Mozambique on Tuesday, at the same venue.
