Webber strike salvages draw for Ntseki’s Bafana C against Egypt in Bloem

Midfielder Jamie Webber's super strike earned Bafana Bafana a 1-1 first leg draw against Egypt in the first leg of their African Nations Championship first round clash at Free State Stadium, a result that might not be conducive to progressing further.

Former Bafana and Kaizer Chiefs coach Molefi Ntseki was roped in late to take charge of the Bafana developmental combination.

Two stunning long-range strikes secured a goal for each side, Mohamed Hassan’s 66th-minute beauty matched by a goal of equal class in the 79th by Webber, the 27-year-old midfielder bound from Sekhukhune United for US second-tier outfit FC Tulsa soon after this match.

A draw may have been salvaged in Bloemfontein, but the South Africans will have their work cut out winning the tie when they play the second leg in Ismailia on Sunday.

To call Ntseki's outfit a 'Bafana C' would be generous. As is always the case for South Africa in the African Nations Championship, which does not fall on a Fifa date and has not been viewed with much ambition by the South African Football Association, clubs released bit-part players for the squad for these qualifiers against Egypt.

At least those fringe performers came from top flight teams — many past South African teams in African Nations Championship qualifiers have been sourced form the first division.

Ntseki had some talent available, though their rustiness was also apparent.

Monnapule Saleng has been in self-imposed exile at Orlando Pirates for most of this season, and while the winger tried and at times was South Africa's most threatening player, he was also clearly out of touch.

Players such as veteran centreback Kwanda Mngonyama, who has played three matches for AmaZulu this season; Mamelodi Sundowns' Neo Maema and Kaizer Chiefs' 21-year-old Aden McCarthy (off the bench), who has not kicked a ball competitively for his club in 2024-25, battled to find rhythm for a combination playing its first match together.

Webber has played 11 times for Sekhukhune this season. His better count of matches showed and the midfielder was one of the sharper players on the field.

The South Africans edged the opening half but could not find the tempo to breach the well-organised Egyptians with any regularity.

An early corner that fell to Saleng to blast over from inside the box and Maema’s curling strike from outside the penalty area that was stopped by Pharaohs goalkeeper Mahmoud Abou El-Saoud were the South Africans' best chances before the break.

After it, Saleng beat defender Mohamed Gaber into the area on the left and forced a low save from El-Saoud. The Pirates winger headed past Egypt's keeper in the 58th, but was offside.

With the South Africans unable to profit from their chances, Egypt seemed likely to score. They did when 31-year-old Ismaily midfielder Hassan chested down just outside the box and volleyed past SuperSport United reserve keeper Samukelo Xulu.

It appeared the Pharaohs had performed a smash and grab, but Webber delighted the decent, vocal crowd that turned out with a perhaps even better strike. Receiving the ball 10m outside the box, the midfielder struck magnificently into the top-left corner.