Bafana Bafana booked their spot at this year’s African Nations Championship (CHAN) with a 2-0 win over Malawi on Sunday afternoon.
Bafana made numerous changes from the first-leg in Reyaad Pieterse, Sammy Seabi, Neo Maema, Yanda Mfolozi, Siyanda Msani, Ndamulelo Maphangule and Victor Letsoalo.
Letsoalo turned up in the opening-quarter where he capitalised on uncertain defending by the visitors to pick out the back of the net.
After a quiet spell, Letsoalo looked to double the lead around the half-hour mark following a cross by Msani but striker was thwarted timeously.
Malawi didn’t pose the home team problems in the final third, but preferred to sit deep in their own half and play on the counter-attack.
The Flames continued to concede chances a minute in the second half as Letsoalo closed-in again this time with a header right at the near post, but he was denied.
Bafana maintained the overall tempo, with the Flames continuing to pile numbers and hope to regain the aggregate lead.
Stand-in coach Molefi Ntseki freshened up his stall in the closing stages and introduced Kamohelo Mahlatsi and Simon Ramabu.
The changes intensified the hosts, who added a second goal in the last five minutes when captain Maema pounced on a loose ball in the box and slammed the net from close-range.
Pieterse made himself big in additional time as the Flames searched for the all-important away-goal, but to no avail as Bafana qualified to the CHAN tournament in August.
