Cape Town - Bafana Bafana scored a morale-boosting 1-0 win over Costa Rica in an entertaining international friendly at the Estadio Edgardo Baltodano Briceno in San Jose on Thursday night (Friday morning SA time).
The South Africans, ranked 73 on the latest Fifa world rankings, scored the game's lone goal in the ninth minute through Andile Jali, whose strike crowned a strong first-half display by the tourists.
The Costa Ricans, world-ranked at 42, were never able to the recover from the early setback as the Bafana’s defence remained intact for the rest of the match.
The teams only met once previously back in October 2003 when South African defeated 'Los Ticos' 2-1 at the Olen Park Stadium in Potchefstroom, when current head coach Ephraim 'Shakes' Mashaba was also then in charge of the national team.
Bafana Bafana scored all the goals, including an own goal, in the match.
Costa Rica threatened at the start as Arsenal-based striker Joe Campbell was handily placed to strike the target at close range but Bafana goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune thwarted the scoring attempt with a well-anticipated block just two minutes after the kick-off. Moments later Bafana's two Euro-based players Jali (KV Oostende, Belgium) and Thulani Serero (Ajax Amsterdam) combined splendidly on a sortie into the hosts' penalty area.
After they weaved the ball through the defence, Jali placed a deft chip over the head of Real Madrid goalkeeper Teylor Navas who manned the Costa Rica goal.
The Costa Rica defence nearly conceded a second goal some six minutes later when they left Serero unmarked but his strike from the fringe of the penalty area sailed over the crossbar.
Khune came to Bafana's rescue again with a fine reflex save in the 27th minute after Costa Rica striker Carlos Urenya worked his way past Rivaldo Coetzee in SA's central defence.
For most of the first half, Costa Rica held the initiative but they failed to make their territorial advantage count. Bafana, on the other hand, relied on occasional counter-attacks to keep them in the hunt for a second goal.
Serero spurned an early second-half chance for a second SA goal and Urenya had at least two gilt-edged scoring chances which went a begging from around the hour mark onward.
Costa Rica finished the match on a strong note in search of the equaliser but mostly inept marksmanship left them empty handed. Bafana Bafana will play their next match against Honduras on Tuesday.
The game are part of the teams' preparations for their campaigns in the qualification process for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Costa Rica will begin their bid for a place in the tournament in the fourth round of Concacaf qualification with Group B games against Haiti and neighbours Panama next month.
Mashaba's South Africa meet Angola in a two-legged tie, the first leg of which takes place on November 8, in the second round of Caf qualification. - ANA