Bafana Bafana suffered a 2-0 defeat to Mali in their Africa Cup of Nations opener on Tuesday night.
Bafana gave tournament debuts to Khuliso Mudau, Mothobi Mvala, Aubrey Modiba, Thapelo Maseko, Sphephelo Sithole and Evidence Makgopa, while Yves Bissouma and Aliou Dieng were amongst the key man for the Malians.
Les Aigles showed the first threat in the opening ten minutes through a curling shot from a tight angle by Amadou Haidara, but Ronwen Williams met it emphatically.
Bafana came alive three minutes apart and could've gone ahead from a first-time strike in the box by Percy Tau following Maseko's cross, but Djigui Diarra smothered.
Drama followed as Bafana were awarded a spot-kick after the referee consulted the pitch-side review as Sikou Niakate elbowed Makgopa in the area, but Tau blazed the resultant penalty over the bar.
Tau looked to make amends five minutes to halftime with a downward header in the box from Themba Zwane's cross, but goalkeeper it was gathered by Diarra.
Bafana lived dangerously towards the end of the half and needed a solid block from Williams to thwart Lassine Sinayoko from close-range.
There were more worrying signs from Bafana following the break where a misplaced pass in a dangerous position gave Sekou Koita a golden chance from a tight angle, but he fired over.
However, Les Aigles got the breakthrough inside 60 minutes after Lassana Coulibaly's left-footed free-kick bounced off the upright before Hamadi Traore finished off the rebound and make it 1-0.
Sinayoko extended the lead eight minutes later when he stormed past Siyanda Xulu to get goal-side and finished from the tightest of angles.
In the hope of a comeback, Bafana introduced Mihlali Mayambela and Zakhele Lepasa ahead of Zwane and Sithole respectively.
Bafana came close in added time as Mokoena was denied by the woodwork following a powerful free-kick, as Les Aigles bagged the points to make a flying start to the tournament.
Confirmed line-ups:
Mali: Diarra, Traore, Haidara, Kouyate, Niakate, Bissouma, Sacko, Koita, Dieng, Sinayoko, Doumbia
South Africa: Williams, Mudau, Xulu, Mvala, Modiba, Sithole, Mokoena, Tau, Maseko, Zwane, Makgopa
Subs: Mothwa, Goss, Mobbie, Mashego, Appollis, Adams, Monare, Lepasa, Kekana, Sibisi, Mayambela, Morena
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