Orlando Pirates star Sipho Mbule powers AFCON-bound Bafana Bafana past stubborn Ghana as Hugo Broos now sets eyes on Morocco

South Africa managed a slim 1-0 win over Ghana in a pre-Africa Cup of Nations friendly game played at the Dobsonville Stadium on Tuesday.

A second-half goal scored by Sipho Mbule just before the hour mark is what separated the two sides. 

Meanwhile, Bafana got an early corner in the second minute, but Ghana goalkeeper Lawrence Osei made a quick, precise intervention to collect the ball delivered by Aubrey Modiba.

The West Africans won their first corner in the sixth minute; Seidu Suraj brought the ball into the penalty box, and Emmanuel Annor rose high to connect to it, but he ended up sending his header wide.

Annor and Suraj combined yet again in the 10th minute when the former cut a cross in for the latter, whose first touch was poor, and Bafana ended up clearing the danger.

A 12th-minute chance for South Africa was wasted when Mohau Nkota did well to spot Mbule, but the Orlando Pirates midfielder sent his header wide.  

It was an end-to-end showdown, and after Mbule failed to get the back of the net, Ghana pressed, and in the 14th minute, Annor's curling shot was saved by South Africa's goalkeeper, Gross.

Thalente Mbatha was involved in three successive chances for Bafana in the 16th, 17th, and 18th minutes, but the first was wasted by Nkota, the second went off target, and the final was saved by Osei.

Mbule was unable to find the back of the net again in the second minute. After collecting a cross from Tshepang Moremi, the former Mamelodi Sundowns star sent his effort wide from a promising position.

Ghana almost conceded at the half-hour mark when Evidence Makgopa and Moremi pressed them as they attempted to start from the back. They breathed a sigh of relief when they cleared the dangerous ball.

After he was involved in three threatening moves against Ghana when the second half began, the Sea Robber finally broke the deadlock in the 57th minute. The midfielder, after winning the ball at the centre of the pitch, managed to create a bit of space outside the box and fired past Osei for South Africa's goal.  

For the remaining minutes, Ghana fought but were unable to score a goal against their hosts, although they came close to getting an equaliser in the 85th minute. A brilliant save by Sipho Chaine denied them a goal.

When Ghana became a hard nut to crack for almost an hour, Mbule's magic came at the right time as he powered South Africa into the lead.

His star continues to shine at the club level and with Bafana, and he is one of the players expected to deliver for the country in Morocco.  

The Ghana team, full of home-based players, came hoping to get a win against AFCON-bound Bafana, but they were unable to get it.

However, they showed determination, intermittently pressed the hosts, but eventually could not get at least a goal as a reward for their fighting spirit.   

Broos and his charges are set for a challenging AFCON campaign. In Group B, they are set to face COSAFA rivals, Angola, on December 22, a match that the coach has emphasised that they must win.

Next for the 1996 African champions will be a showdown against record AFCON champions Egypt on December 26 before concluding their preliminary matches on December 29 against their northern neighbours Zimbabwe.  

The weight is heavier for Bafana, as expectations are high for them. After finishing as runners-up in Ivory Coast in the last edition, the fans hope they do better this time around.