The Bafana Bafana of South Africa played their first FIFA World Cup match today since hosting the 2010 finals. Their opponents were visitors Ethiopia and the scene was Rustenburg. Bafana Bafana had the upper hand, but Ethiopia remained level and were playing at a high level. Said Saladin (pictured, red) single-handedly altered the match at the half hour mark with a steal upfield, after which he maneuvered into the South African box to unleash a shot that hit the roof of the net for a shock 1-0 lead. That was the score at the break.Bafana Bafana were surely under pressure from their expectant fan base, especially since the fan base had seen the day before that group co-favorites Botswana had suffered a shock loss to Central African Republic in Group A play. With little more than a dozen minutes left in the match, Katlego Mphela scored from distance from the left part of the Ethiopian penalty area, but Bafana Bafana never found the winning goal. Ethiopia escaped with a highly unexpected 1-1 draw. South Africa have now failed to win any of their previous nine matches and have gotten coach Pitso Mosimane fired.
Central Af. Rep. 3 pts +2
Ethiopia 1 pts 0
South Africa 1 pts 0
Botswana 0 pts -2
Goals
Ethiopia
Said Saladin (pictured, red) 30
South Africa
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