Bafana Bafana suffered a 5-0 defeat at the hands of reigning world champions France on Tuesday evening.
Les Bleus were bolstered by the return of N'Golo Kante and Kylian Mbappe, who joined Olivier Giroud and Antoine Griezmann upfront while Bafana handed Lyle Lakay his debut, alongside recalls for Teboho Mokoena and goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.
France had a bright start as Giroud forced an acrobatic save out of Williams with a spectacular side-volley at the near post after a cross by Lucas Digne after just five minuets.
Mbappe was finding spaces and chances for the hosts in and around the box and eventually broke the deadlock in the 23rd minute with a stunning curling strike in the box that evaded the diving Williams and found the top corner.
Hugo Broos' charges were vulnerable on transitions and were punished 11 minutes before the halftime break from that situation, as Giroud went through on goal in between two defenders and fired a low strike into the bottom corner.
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Bafana were better organised in the early stages of the second stanza but they were kept in the game by the brilliance of Williams in goal as he parried Mbappe's powerful shot onto the crossbar before keeping out Digne's volley minutes later.
Didier Deschamps rang the changes after that, as Paul Pogba came on for Giroud in a tactical switch while Kante also made way for Wissam Ben Yedder in an attacking change.
Les Bleus were awarded a penalty in the 73rd minute after Siyanda Xulu brought Mbappe down in the box and after confirmation by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), Mbappe dispatched the spot-kick to complete his brace.
Bafana had their backs against the wall as Ben Yedder made it 4-0 for France eight minutes before time with a tap-in at the back post after a headed pass by Pogba.
It got worse for South Africa, who were reduced to ten men two minutes later after Khuliso Mudau had a yellow card upgraded to red after a VAR review for a lunging tackle from behind on Digne.
Les Bleus remained in attack as Matteo Guendouzi completed the rout at the death with curling strike from the edge of the box into the far post after a cut-back by Mbappe.
Confirmed line-ups:
France: Maignan, Saliba, Varane, Kimpembe, Clauss, Rabiot, Kante, Digne, Griezmann, Giroud, Mbappe
Subs: Areola, Lloris, Kounde, Pogba, Tchoumeni, Coman, Nkunku, Guendouzi, Ben Yedder, Diaby, L. Hernandez, T. Hernandez.
South Africa: Williams, Mobbie, Xulu, Sibisi, Lakay, Mokoena, Mvala, Monare, Hlongwane, Lakay, Foster.
Subs: Bvuma, Mothwa, De Reuck, Makgopa, Dolly, Mosele, Mcaba, Letsoalo, Brooks, Mudau, Mashego, Shandu.