South Africa 1-0 Ghana: Bafana Bafana victorious in final Africa Cup of Nations tune-up | OneFootball

Bafana Bafana take on Angola in AFCON opener on Monday

South Africa’s last-minute preparations for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations ended with a win as they defeated Ghana 1-0 at the Dobsonville Stadium in Soweto.

Sipho Mbule’s strike from range on 57 minutes proved the difference in a affair that Bafana Bafana dominated throughout.

Hugo Broos’ side were heavy favourites, despite missing three of their European-based stars.

Lyle Foster, Shandre Campbell and Sphephelo Sithole were all unavailable, with FIFA having changed the deadline for players to report for AFCON duty from December 8 to December 15.

However, Broos still had the main crux of his squad to pick from, and it was his talisman Mbule who came up with the goods when it mattered on a frustrating afternoon for the South Africans.

Evidence Makgopa was starved of service throughout, with most of the good play coming down the flanks from Mohau Nkota, Tshepang Moremi, and Oswin Appollis when he came off the bench.

The hosts were given a scare towards the end when Emmanuel Annor broke into the South Africa box and rattled the woodwork with a snapshot that surprised substitute goalkeeper Sipho Chaine, who was called into action shortly after as a deflected cross needed acrobatically tipping over the crossbar.

However, the home side survived the shock to hang on for an important, morale-bolstering victory that sees them head into the tournament later this week with that winning feeling.

Bafana take on Angola on Monday in their first group game, before a tough fixture against Egypt on Boxing Day.

They round off their pool stage with a reunion against Zimbabwe, who they drew with in World Cup qualifying earlier this year.