MBOMBELA – South Africa put Ivory Coast to the sword and won 2-0 in front of a crowd of about 10 000 at Mbombela Stadium this afternoon.

The Nelson Mandela Challenge was played under a grey Lowveld sky. The soccer Bafana Bafana produced was red hot and the appreciative crowd made up in volume what they lacked in numbers.

Themba Zwane stroked the ball into the net after just 1 minute 21 seconds but was adjudged offside.

Bafana Bafana were full of confidence in the opening exchanges, utilising short accurate passes and using the width of the field.

Vuyisile Wana looked particularly dangerous down the left flank.

South Africa could have been two up in the eleventh minute after Puleng Tlolane missed a sitter on nine minutes, shooting wide and high, and David Zulu shot over the cross bar minutes later.

Bafana attacked with passion and structure and Ivory Coast seemed jaded and could not keep up with the pace of the match.

The motivated South African had the better of possession and territory.

Bongani Zungu polished off a pacey attack straight down the throat of the Ivory Coast defence to put Bafana 1-0 up in the 30^th minute.

So dominate were Bafana that they conceded the first corner in the 39^th minute, and only one more, in the first half. Mpumalanga Black Aces’ own Jackson Mabokgwane took both crosses with ease.

Zwane came close to scoring just before half time. Ivory Coast keeper Karim Cisse did brilliantly to gain possession in the tackle on the edge of the area after his defence let him down.

A rampant South Africa deserved to be 1-0 up at half time.

The Ivorian team upped the intensity in the second half and tried to upset Bafana with an overly physical approach.

But it was SA who scored in the 52^nd minute with David Zulu beating replacement keeper Ali Sangare and gently guiding the ball into an empty net.

The one-way traffic continued with wave after wave of well-constructed attacks on the Ivory Coast goal.

The visitors’ defence was a shambles and Bafana did not need much encouragement to exploit it.

The final score could have been bigger.

Mabokgwane was ice-cool under pressure on the few occasions he was really tested.

South Africa, fielding a team of home-based players, can hold their heads high. They did the basics well and capitalised on there opponents errors.

Bafana Bafana played with their hearts on their sleeves.

It was an effort Shakes Mashaba and his charges can be proud of.