The African teams that progress to the 2012 Olympics will be now decided in a tournament in December at a venue still to be decided. The top three sides will automatically qualify, while the fourth placed team will face an Asian country in a playoff for a place at London 2012.
Trailing by two goals after a surprisingly large defeat away from home, South Africa needed to produce a good performance on Sunday to overcome the disadvantage; they did more than that, producing an eye-catching display with some scintillating goals.
So overpowering was the onslaught that Benin resorted to the unusual step of substituting their goalkeeper at the start of the second half.
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| Coach - Shakes Mashaba (left) |
'Courage from the top drawer'
Coach Shakes Mashaba was understandably a very happy man after the victory. Addressing the media, he said: "It was courage from the top drawer from my team. They showed the whole country what they are capable of.
"Now we are into the last round, and we will obviously need to do better than today because it doesn't get any easier. But well done to the team and the whole support in the stadium was just wonderful."
Captain Doctor Mampuru said: "I must congratulate my teammates for putting up such a great performance. We really stuck to our game plan and it worked out in the end, getting the result we wanted."
Up for it
From the first whistle it was clear that Mashaba's charges were fired up and would not let their Olympic dream go up in flames without a fight. Benin were made to quickly realise this in the first minute when a sweeping attack down the right flank almost resulted in a goal.
Thandani Ntshumayelo provided a pinpoint cross for Phumelele Bhengu, but the striker somehow managed to head his shot against the crossbar from mere metres in front of goal. Nonetheless, the attack served notice to the visitors that they would be in for a difficult day.
Bhengu came close to scoring again just before the quarter-hour mark, but his powerful strike was tipped behind for a corner.
It was a short-lived reprieve for Benin as South Africa opened the scoring from the corner with Bhengu finally making good on a chance and heading into the net.
On the back foot
South Africa, lifted by the early goal, continued to press and kept Benin on the back foot. They didn't have to wait long for their efforts to be rewarded.
Thami Sangweni doubled the South African lead with a stunning drive from distance that left goalkeeper Wassiou Salami grasping at air as the ball rocketed into the top right of corner of the goal.
The 2-0 lead meant the tie was level on aggregate at 3-3, but South Africa had the advantage of having scored an away goal.
The hosts were off to the kind of start they would have dreamed about, but it was to get still better for captain Mampuru and company.
Shellshocked
In the 38th minute they went 3-0 ahead when Mandla Masango headed home from a cross by Sibusiso Mxoyana. Benin looked shellshocked as the South African attacks on the visitors' goal continued with intent.
Two minutes before the break, South Africa's day became even better when Bongani Ndulula struck to put the home side 4-0 up at the break and 5-3 on aggregate.
Benin, with a change of goalkeeper, showed more fight when the second half got under way while South Africa's intensity dropped.
Nonetheless, South Africa continued to dominate, albeit without the urgency that had seen them so well rewarded in the first half.
Fine save
South African goalkeeper Darren Keet pulled off a fine save just before the hour-mark when he tipped a free kick by Isaac Loute behind. It served to remind the home team that the tie was not yet won.
Benin were finally rewarded for their efforts after 78 minutes when Abdel Fadel Suanon, the scorer of two goals in the first meeting between the teams, rounded the South African defence on the right and powered a right footed shot past Keet.
Game on
With the aggregate now at 5-4, it was once again "game on" as another goal by Benin would put them into the playoffs on the away goals' rule.
It was the home side's day, however, and the prolific Ndulula provided the security South Africa craved when he fired a blistering long range effort home three minutes from time to make it 5-1 on the day and 6-4 on aggregate.
Source -http://southafrica.info
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