WAFCON: South Africa holds Tanzania to 1-1 draw in Rabat

From Harry Awurumibe, Casablanca

Defending champions South Africa laboured to a 1-1 draw against Tanzania in their second match of Group C at Honor Stadium in Oudja on Friday night.

Desperate Tanzania still hurting from the opening 0-1 loss to Mali after the Twiga Stars missed their leader-pitch general Opa Clement went in front early when the rare talent, whose relationship with the ball feels heavenly as if she was sent on earth to find gaps on a football pitch, scored with a header to beat Kaylin Swart in goal for Banyana Banyana in the 24th minute.

A shocked South Africa tried to get back to the game but found the Tanzanian team, which is very energetic and full of running very difficult to break down as the first ended in a 0-1.

In the second stanza, head coach Desiree Ellis tweaked her tactics to regain the control of the match, but her opposite number, coach Bakari Shime of Tanzania who admitted before the encounter that they are under pressure to get a good result after they lost the first game to Mali instructed his players to focus on finishing off South Africa.

However, defensive midfielder Bambanani Mbane drew South Africa level in the 70th minute to set up a frenzy end of the match as both teams tried to outwit each other, although the red card received by Elizabeth John Chenge in the 84th minute reduced the effectiveness of the Tanzanians ensured that the match ended in a 1-1 draw to leave South Africa with four points and Tanzania a lone point after the second group matches.