Broos’s young Bafana see off Mozambique in Polokwane

Bafana Bafana delivered a satisfactory performance to beat Mozambique 2-0 in their friendly in a freezing Polokwane on Tuesday night, making it a mission accomplished for coach Hugo Broos as almost all the new faces he selected for this camp came to the party.

After drawing 0-0 against Tanzania in the first of this month's two friendlies on Friday, Broos's young Bafana were out to get a win to prove they can perform without Mamelodi Sundowns' players, who were not selected because of the club leaving for the US to play in the Club World Cup.

Newcomers in the squad like Mohau Nkota; Ashley Cupido, the scorer of the 70th-minute second goal on Tuesday, and Mbekezeli Mbokazi put in solid shifts, giving Broos options and depth in selection options for the future.

Chippa United's Sinoxolo Kwayiba provided the 47th-minute opener at Peter Mokaba Stadium. 

South Africa were all over the Mambas from the first whistle, creating a series of clear-cut chances in quick succession. It was the visitors' 28-year-old Mozambique goalkeeper Ivane Urrubal who made sure Bafana did not find the back of the net in the first half, producing seven excellent saves.

Orlando Pirates' "Cocomelons", Relebohile Mofokeng and Nkota, were the recipients of South Africa's first chances inside the first minute but Urrubal was equal to the task. The keeper denied Mofokeng again 10 minutes later in a one-vs-one situation, using a trailing leg to thwart his goal-bound effort.

Kwayiba is another Bafana player who was hard done by Urrubal's brilliance in the opening 45 minutes, where Mozambique never made a box entry. Pirates goalkeeper Sipho Chaine, who would be replaced by newcomer Renaldo Leaner in the 67th minute, was like a man on holiday throughout the first half.

The first period had a few stoppages, the longest coming when Bafana right-back Nyiko Mobbie collided with Mozambique left-back Edmilson Dove, whose contract with Kaizer Chiefs ends this month. Mobbie had to soldier on until the 76th minute after suffering a head injury, before being replaced by Deano van Rooyen.

After such a dominant first-half display, though without scoring, it fell to Bafana's first attempt of the second half from a set-piece for Urrubal to be beaten, courtesy of Kwayiba's header. The Chippa midfielder rose smartly to head home Nkota's corner.

Cupido, who replaced Yanela Mbuthuma in the 67th, put the game to bed with a delightful finish just three minutes after entering the fray, collected and finishing a loose ball after Dove's error.