The Tafel Lager Brave Warriors gave a sensational performance to hold South Africa’s Bafana Bafana to a 1-1 draw in a pulsating friendly international on Wednesday night.
Playing at a near capacity Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, Rudolph Bester momentarily shocked the 60 000 odd fans into silence when he put Namibia ahead on 41 minutes. But Bafana Bafana came back strongly in the second half and Katlego Mphela equalised on 70m.
The match, which formed part of the 100-Day Countdown to the World Cup celebrations, was a great spectacle on the field as well as off it, as the fans’ vociferous support, the constant Mexican waves and the deafening vuvuzelas all added to the excitement and drama of the evening.
Bafana were the first to attack with Anele Ngcongca forcing an early corner, while Namibian keeper Athiel Mbaha saved a cross by Lance Davids.
Bafana captain Teko Modise came close with a 20m shot on 18m but Mbaha pulled off a fine diving save, to tip the ball for a corner.
At the other end Namibian striker Wilko Risser had little room to move as he was tightly marked by Siyabonga Sangweni, but Rudolph Bester managed a shot at goal that was comfortably saved by Itumeleng Khune.
The tempo increased as both teams launched quick counterattacks, with Mphela looking dangerous for Bafana, while Namibia’s wingers Sydney Plaatjies and Razundara Tjikuzu put in some strong runs.
Tjikuzu was the instigator for Namibia’s goal when he broke through a tackle down the right flank and crossed the ball to Bester on the edge of the box, who volleyed past a diving Khune into the left hand corner of the net.
The crowd was momentarily shocked into silence and when the halftime whistle sounded a few minutes later, South African coach Carlos Alberto Parreira looked a worried man.
Parreira made several half time substitutions and Bafana came back with a vengeance after the break.
Reneilwe Letsholonyane shot over the bar, Tlou Segolela had a shot saved by Mbaha and Siphiwe Tshabalala shot over the bar with a long range effort.
Bafana came close on 63m when Segolela raced onto a throughball, but Mbaha rushed off his line to clear the ball just in time.
A cross by Daine Klate went agonisingly close, and Bafana’s pressure finally paid off when Bryce Moon launched a quick counterattack down the right wing and crossed to an unmarked Mphela who beat Mbaha with a shot into the left hand corner.
In the final quarter Bafana’s tempo was disrupted by Namibian coach Tom Saintfiet, who made numerous substitutions, as Heini Isaacks, Paulus Shipanga, Rudi Louw and Michael Pienaar all came on.
In the final stages, Letsholonyane, Klate and Mphela all had shots on goal, but they could not break through Namibia’s resolute defence, where Oliver Risser and Richard Gariseb were in fine form.
But it was in midfield where the Brave Warriors shone, led by captain Quinton Jacobs and Ninja Karongee, who gave battling performances to keep Bafana’s dangerman Teko Modise in check.
Saintfiet was full of praise for his team at the post match press conference.
“I am very proud of my players. They played like real Brave Warriors and tonight we showed that we are the same size as South Africa,” he said.