Bafana Bafana were no match for world champions France who registered an emphatic 5-0 win at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy on Tuesday night.
International Friendly
Result: France 5-0 South Africa
Date: 29 March 2022
Venue: Stade Pierre-Mauroy
Ronwen Williams returned to captain Bafana in place of Veli Mothwa. Nyiko Mobbie, Lyle Lakay, Fagrie Lakay, Teboho Mokoena and Bongokuhle Hlongwane also came into the starting line-up.
France almost took the lead in the sixth minute but for a brilliant save from Williams. Lucas Digne whipped in a cross from the left-hand side in behind the Bafana defence and Olivier Giroud diverted it goalward and Williams showed all of his reflexes to tip it over the bar.
Kylian Mbappe was looking typically dangerous and in the 15th minute he nutmegged Mothobi Mvala before putting his laces through it and it was a swerving, dipping effort that went just wide of Williams' left-hand post.
Antoine Griezmann skipped past his marker down the right-hand side and got to the byline before lofting a cross to Mbappe at the back post and the Paris Saint-Germain attacker brought the ball down just inside the box before curling a fabulous effort into the top far corner past the despairing dive of Williams.
Les Bleus doubled their lead in the 33rd minute. Kante intercepted the ball in midfield, Mbappe backheeled the ball to Griezmann, who fired the ball into the feet of Giroud in the box, who feinted to shoot before putting a couple of Bafana defenders on their backside and calmly slotting into the opposite corner.
Bafana were really struggling to get out of their own half and when they did manage to do so were increasingly isolated with little support.
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France were showing their class, maintaining a 92 percent pass accuracy rate, knocking the ball smoothly around the park and making Bafana run. Five minutes after the interval Kante played Clauss in down the right and his shot on the angle hit the side-netting.
Soon after, Kante was once again the provider this time releasing Mbappe, who was denied by the sharp reflexes of Williams once again. The Bafana keeper was having a good game and came to the rescue of his side when he got down well to save Giroud's left-footed shot from near the penalty spot towards the bottom right corner.
Bafana were failing to provide any threat and holding on for dear life at the back. Shortly after the hour mark, Digne almost got his first international goal when Mbappe found the Aston Villa left-back at the back post and his volley had Williams beaten but luckily for Bafana, cannoned off the woodwork.
Mbappe grabbed his brace from the penalty spot in the 73rd minute as France were finally rewarded. The PSG attacker won the penalty himself after turning Siyanda Xulu inside out before being hauled to the turf.
Les Blues made it four with ten minutes to go, as Mbappe floated one from the left to the back post and Paul Pogba headed back across goal towards the unmarked Wisaam Ben Yedder, who turned the ball in from no more than a yard out.
Khuliso Mudau, on as a substitute, was then shown a straight red card after raking the achilles heel of Digne with his studs and then Matteo Guendouzi rounded off the scoring for Leus Blues to cap off a miserable night for the South Africans.
Here's how they lined up:
France: Maignan, Saliba, Varane, Kimpembe, Clauss, Rabiot, Kante, Digne, Griezmann, Giroud, Mbappe.
Subs: Areola, Lloris, Kounde, Pogba, Tchoumeni, Coman, Nkunku, Guendouzi, Ben Yedder, Diaby, L. Hernandez, T. Hernandez.
South Africa: Williams, Mobbie, Xulu, Sibisi, Lakay, Mokoena, Mvala, Monare, Hlongwane, Lakay, Foster.
Subs: Bvuma, Mothwa, De Reuck, Makgopa, Dolly, Mosele, Mcaba, Letsoalo, Brooks, Mudau, Mashego, Shandu.
