A Lyle Foster brace had seen Bafana Bafana take a 2-0 lead at half time but after a host of chances were missed, Liberia scored on the stroke of full time to keep alive their chances of booking a ticket to the main event in Ivory Coast.
South Africa’s Lyle Foster (#9) celebrates his goal against Liberia with teammates in their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto, Johannesburg on 24 March 2023. Picture: @CAF_Online/Twitter
JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s inability to finish off their goal-scoring chances came back to haunt them as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Liberia in a 2023 Africa Cup of Nations Group K qualifier on Friday evening at Orlando Stadium.
A Lyle Foster brace had seen Bafana Bafana take a 2-0 lead at half time but after a host of chances were missed, Liberia scored on the stroke of full time to keep alive their chances of booking a ticket to the main event in Ivory Coast.
The first effort of the game came in the second minute from Mohammed Kamara, who had his free kick palmed away by Ronwen Williams.
South Africa eased their way into the game and in the 11th minute took the lead through a Foster penalty after Percy Tau was brought down by Liberia’s Tommy Songo.
He would go on to double South Africa’s lead in the 21st minute, as he pounced on a corner kick from Teboho Mokoena to head in the second.
Bafana could have easily had a third goal soon after, but Bongokuhle Hlongwane’s effort bounce off the bar.
There were no further chances as South Africa went into the break 2-0 up.
Tau had this ball in the back of the net in the 53rd minute but it did not count as the referee had signaled for an indirect kick.
Mokoena then had a great chance to make it three shortly after, but his effort went wide.
Tau then had another chance to score in the 63rd minute. After doing well in controlling a long-range pass that came into the box, he only had the keeper to beat, but somehow his effort went wide.
In the 69th minute, the missed chances came back to haunt South Africa as a scramble in the box saw Tonia D-Leo Tisdell score to reduce the deficit.
Liberia could have had another one in the 89th minute via Murphy Dorsey but his effort went wide.
Orlando Stadium fell silent in the 90th minute as Mohammed Sangare bulldozed his way into the box and equalized for Liberia to make it 2-2 and that is how it would end.
The draw sees both sides earn their first points in Group K, which features just three nations due to a ban imposed on Zimbabwe’s Football Association due to government interference.
South Africa and Liberia will meet again on Tuesday in Monrovia.
Bafana are looking to qualify for their first Afcon since 2019.
