Mapeza's 'Warriors' beat Bafana Bafana

'Warriors'  2 - 1 South Africa

KNOWLEDGE MUSONA once again underlined his significance to the Warriors when the German-based talisman fired home a second half brace that gave the hosts victory over rivals South Africa in an international friendly at Rufaro last night.

Musona was the Warriors leading scorer in their failed 2012 African Cup of Nations campaign.

Last night the TSG Hoffenheim put the smiles back on the Warriors and their legion of fans when he helped Norman Mapeza's men fight their way from behind after Bradley Grobler had thrust Bafana Bafana into the lead in the 28th minute. In drawing the Warriors level, Musona powered home a header off a beautiful cross from the improving CAPS United right back Tapiwa Khumbuyani in the 52nd minute.

A minute earlier, Bafana Bafana centre back Bevan Fransman had almost gifted the Warriors with an own goal when he miscued his clearance from yet another Khumbuyani cross and actually had his captain Morgan Gould to thank for clearing from the line. Fransman was the fall guy again for Bafana Bafana when Musona dispossessed him, side stepped an advancing Josephs and blasted home his second on the night to send Rufaro into song and dance.

That Musona found both the Warriors goals and received a standing ovation from the Rufaro when he was eventually rested after 87 minutes was somewhat befitting given that he was the player with the highest profile on the pitch last night. The 21-year-old forward is playing in the German Bundesliga while Bafana Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane sent into battle a starting side of players who are plying their trade in the South African Premiership.

But by the time Zambian referee Wellington Kaoma blew to end the match, the Warriors were in full control of the game and well on their way to a deserved win. The Warriors had always shown promise when getting off to a positive start and were the first to settle on the familiar artificial turf of Rufaro. Mapeza's men threatened to get the breakthrough with some fine passing football.

Mapeza was elated at maintaining his unbeaten home record but revealed he was not happy with the reaction of some boo boys who had targeted Lincoln Zvasiya for abuse in the first half. "I was happy with the performance, this game gave us a chance to assess some players and I am happy with the way they performed tonight.

"It is always nice to win at home," Mapeza said.

But for all their early dominance in possession the hosts was caught flat in the 28th minute when Bradley Gobbler, lurking on the blind side got the end of a Teko Modise pass, drew Tapuwa Kapini off his line and drilled a low shot into the far corner. It could have been 2-0 for the visitors three minutes later when SuperSport United forward Kermit Erasmus was also left unmarked on the edge of the box but once he hesitated to shoot, it presented Kapini ' who had lost his footing 'with a chance to recover and when the Bafana Bafana forward eventually struck, the Warriors goalkeeper was on guard to thwart the effort.

In the eighth minute Ovidy Karuru burst down the right channel from where he sent a looping cross that, however, proved too hard for Khama Billiat. It was not until the 11th minute that Kapini was called into action when he had to punch back into play a swerving Hlompo Kekana effort. But a minute later the Warriors came charging with Knowledge Musona sending his long range shot off a Willard Katsande pass over the bar.

Katsande, full of running in the opening half, then got to the end of a five-man Warriors move that involved Zhaimu Jambo, Karuru, Billiat and Musona but the Kaizer Chiefs midfielder's 23rd minute pile driver just went wide. Then against the run of play, Bafana Bafana ' who had won six of their 11 previous meetings with the Warriors before last night's match ' found the goal that was literally fashioned out of nothing.

The Warriors who had, until then, been pouring forward in numbers lost possession just inside the Bafana Bafana half, and when the ball fell onto the path of Modise, the Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder sent it through to an unmarked Grobler. Despite their slow start stand-in Bafana skipper Morgan Gould and his defence were giving away very little space to Musona and Cuthbert Malajila in the opening period before they eventually cracked in the second.

Malajila was also guilty of slow reaction when he failed to connect with a low Billiat cross from the left. Yet it was Bafana Bafana who could have added to their advantage when Kapini fumbled a Modise curling free-kick but Lincoln Zvasiya, handed his first start for the Warriors in the absence of skipper Method Mwanjali, was on guard to clear his lines.

Mosimane, in conceding defeat, felt his charges had lost to a good team but still praised his young Turks "for a good fight."

"I am very happy with the performance, I think we made a mistake in the second half and lost because of that but I believe we deserved a second goal and a draw would have been fair for us," Mosimane said.

Teams:

Zimbabwe:

T. Kapini, T. Khumbuyani, Z Jambo, L Zvasiya, T Sweswe, W. Katsande, K. Billiat (D. Mukamba), T. Nengomasha (R. Zhuwawo 66th minute), K. Musona (G. Mapemba 87th minute), C. Malajila, O. Karuru (A. Gutu 75th minute)

South Africa:

M. Josephs, M Gould, H. Jele, P. Masinamela, B. Fransman, H. Kekana (G. Maluleka 87th minute), O. Manyisa (Claasen 65th minute), T. Khuboni, T. Modise, K. Erasmus (S. Nontshinga 68th minute), B. Grobler (G. Lebese 85th minute).