Bafana thrash Swaziland 5-1 to advance to Cosafa Cup final

23 June 2016 - 09:50 By MARC STRYDOM at Sam Nujoma Stadium, Windhoek

They might have been assisted by a red card Swaziland earned in debatable circumstances. But once they shifted into top gear, there was no stopping Bafana Bafana from running their Cosafa Cup semifinal opponents off the field with a 5-1 thumping in Windhoek, Namibia, last night. This Bafana Bafana Olympic shadow team make life difficult for themselves by being painfully slow starters.They were woeful in the first half but recovered in the second.Having two coaches might have something to do with it.Shakes Mashaba has taken charge of this team, which is made up of South Africa's Under-23 players preparing for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in August.Under-23 coach Owen da Gama has at times appeared to look on somewhat bemused.Tony Tsabedze gave Swaziland a 38th-minute lead.Thabiso Kutumela equalised with a controversial free-kick after Judas Moseamedi appeared to have dived on the edge of Swaziland's area in the 52nd minute.The red card for a second bookable offence to centreback Siyabonga Mdluli was equally questionable.The South Africans impressively capitalised, scoring quickfire goals via Lebogang Phiri (56th minute) and substitute Menzi Masuku three minutes later. Moseamedi (75th) and Masuku again (83rd) added the fourth and fifth respectively.Did South Africa really need to start with two defensive midfielders against Swaziland?It seemed to invite their opponents to run at them.As against Lesotho a few days earlier, a half-time change yielded results. Masuku replaced Thembela Sikhakhane, who struggled at right-back. Abbubaker Mobara went from central midfield to right-back and South Africa started to play.South Africa's build-ups were slow and overcomplicated in a first half in which they were put in the shade by the quick counter-attacking Swaziland.Bafana were let off the hook when a great pass released Wonder Nhleko down the left, as Pieterse came out of his area but could not reach the ball first. Luckily for South Africa, Nhleko overran the goalline...

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