JOHANNESBURG – South Africa achieved their biggest victory when they hammered the Seychelles 6-0 Saturday in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier before a tiny rain-soaked crowd in Johannesburg.
The previous widest winning margin by ‘;Bafana Bafana’; (The Boys) was 5-0 at home to Guatemala in a friendly match as the republic prepared to host the 2010 World Cup.
South Africa scored three times in four minutes midway through the first half with a Nigel Hoareau own-goal followed by goals from captain Thulani Hlatshwayo and Lebo Mothiba.
A string of saves from goalkeeper Romeo Barra prevented South Africa going further ahead until Percy Tau and substitutes Dino Ndlovu and Teboho Mokoena netted in a late burst.
Mokoena scored the record-creating sixth goal two minutes into stoppage time with a close-range header off a cross at Soccer City stadium.
The one-sided affair matchday 3 affair in Group E came as no surprise as South Africa are ranked 73rd in the world – 116 places above the Seychelles.
Only a few thousand watched the mismatch in heavy rain despite the public broadcaster not screening the qualifier because of a financial dispute with the national football body.
Matches involving ‘;Bafana Bafana’; used to draw 80 000 crowds, but poor results in recent years has seen a dramatic fall-off in attendances.
South Africa have seven points from three matches and Libya four and Nigeria three from two in a three-team chase for two places at the 2019 Cup of Nations in Cameroon.
Ighalo hat-trick leads Nigeria to 4-0 win over Libya
Nigeria beat Libya 4-0 with Odion Ighalo grabbing a hat-trick as the Super Eagles got their 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign firmly back on track in Uyo on Saturday.
Nigeria are now second in Group E with six points from three matches, a point behind new leaders South Africa, who earlier defeated Seychelles 6-0.
Both Nigeria and Libya will do battle again in the reverse fixture in Sfax, Tunisia, on Tuesday.
Nigeria raced into a fourth-minute lead when Ighalo put away a penalty after he was fouled by Libya goalkeeper and skipper Muhammad Nashnoush.
The Changchun Yatai of China captain, who was heavily criticised for his performance at the World Cup, gave the home team some comfort in the 58th minute, when he scored his second after he was released by Alex Iwobi.
Ighalo then completed his hat-trick on 69 minutes, when he put away a low cross from the right by the skipper Ahmed Musa.
Bordeaux winger Samuel Kalu netted Nigeria’;s fourth goal on the dot of full time, when he curled an unstoppable shot from outside the box after he was set up by substitute Henry Onyekuru.
Libya created some anxious moments in the Nigeria penalty area when in the 13th minute goalkeeper Francis Uzoho was forced to make a reflex save.
In Kampala, Uganda cruised to a 3-0 victory over Lesotho that moved them three points clear of Cape Verde at the top of Group L.
Emmanuel Okwi opened and closed the scoring with a goal in each half and Farouk Miya converted a penalty to give the ‘;Cranes’; a two-goal half-time advantage.
Uganda have seven points halfway through the six-round qualifying competition, Cape Verde four and Lesotho and Tanzania two each. – Nampa-AFP
