Bafana Bafana held to a draw by Panama despite dominating play

Bafana Bafana were held to a 1-1 draw by Panama in the first of their back-to-back Fifa World Cup preparatory friendlies at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Friday night.

Despite clawing their way back to salvage a draw after trailing in the first half, Bafana will be pleased with their overall efforts. They dominated the passage of play but were let down by their bluntness up front and costly individual mistakes.

With the next game scheduled for the DHL Stadium on Tuesday night (7.30pm), Hugo Broos will hope that they are clinical and rock solid. That, however, should be aided by the fact that they’ll have both Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Bongokuhle Hlongwane available after the MLS-based duo was rested in Durban.

Bafana need to be at their best to get over Panama, who have a similar style of play to their World Cup opening game opponents, Mexico, as a victory will boost their confidence heading into their last preparations in May.

Panama, meanwhile, must have been impressed by Bafana’s performance, which provided a true test ahead of their World Cup group stage campaign that includes the African side, Ghana. The Black Stars were well represented for this match, with a handful of their fans proving a strong attraction in the stands.

Bafana, kitted in their new jersey, came into this match eager to make up for their disastrous Afcon campaign, and coach Broos went for the jugular, including handing a returning start to Themba Zwane, who had been away from the national team due to injuries.

Zwane, who has been carefully managed at Mamelodi Sundowns and handed cameos, did not look out of place. He was the pivot around which Bafana revolved in the opening stages as they looked threatening with every foray into the final third.

The 36-year-old’s efforts did not bear fruit. Bafana attacker Lyle Foster did not get into the right scoring channels or was waved offside, including after bypassing goalkeeper Luis Mejía.

Zwane and Co did not drop their heads in search of the lead, but Mejía stood in Bafana’s way, also blocking Oswin Appollis’s shot from close range following another beautiful passage of football from the hosts.

The visitors, meanwhile, did not need ample opportunities to find the breakthrough. Edgar Bárcenas intercepted Khuliso Mudau’s backpass before tossing and turning Sphephelo Sithole to create space and hit a low, hard shot past Ronwen Williams.

Bafana, with the influence of Zwane, did not drop their heads, with Tshepang Moremi — who was earlier cautioned for simulation — coming close to grabbing the equaliser, only for his effort to sail wide of the target.

Mejía was forced off due to an injury and replaced by Orlando Mosquera. The incoming goalie continued where the former left off, blocking Foster’s close-range effort after he was teed up by Appollis following another pass from Aubrey Modiba.

With the clock winding down towards the break, Teboho Mokoena launched a trademark long-range shot, but he caught Mosquera wide awake, as he tipped the ball over the crossbar.

Bafana returned to the second half with vigour and they were duly rewarded for their efforts, with Moremi crossing the ball to the far post to find Mudau, who headed a cut-back into the path of Appollis. The Orlando Pirates attacker latched onto the ball and rattled the bottom corner.

After an impressive return, Broos withdrew Zwane at the hour mark, bringing on Relebohile Mofokeng, whose entrance was met with rapturous applause from the stands, having endeared himself as the jewel of South African football.

Deployed in the No 10 role, in which Broos believes he will thrive, Mofokeng was momentarily lost after his cameo, with his attempt at goal ballooning into the stands as Bafana searched for the lead and a possible winner.

Bafana were nearly punished yet again after another backpass went wrong, but they were saved from the brink of defeat by the upright. That is why they will need to be well organised on Tuesday in the Mother City.