South Africa earned a 5-0 victory over Eritrea in a 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at the Al Salam Stadium in Cairo on Wednesday evening, with Relebohile Mofokeng scoring twice to claim top spot in Group D, according to SuperSport Football reporting.
Mofokeng Inspires Bafana Bafana in Cairo
South Africa moved to six points at the summit of Group D following the comfortable win. The result establishes a five-point cushion over second-placed Kenya, though that margin faces a reduction when the Harambee Stars face bottom-of-the-log Guinea in Conakry on Thursday. Eritrea began the fixture with greater attacking intent, testing South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams early through forward Ali Sulieman and a long-range lob that struck the crossbar after some lackadaisical play.
First-Half Breakthroughs Build Momentum
Bafana Bafana absorbed the early pressure before establishing control. Mofokeng registered the team’s first warning sign in the 12th minute with a long-range strike that forced a save from Eritrean goalkeeper Yonathan Sultan. In the 19th minute, Mofokeng opened the scoring by controlling a defence-splitting pass from Oswin Appollis before placing a shot past Sultan’s right hand for his first senior international goal at age 21. Appollis tested Sultan again in the 36th minute with a long-range effort, and while Sultan parried the rebound, striker Iqraam Rayners missed the target. Mofokeng added his second just before halftime, receiving a pass from Samukele Kabini inside the penalty area, outmaneuvering defenders, and firing a low shot into the bottom corner to make it 2-0.
Second-Half Goal Rush Seals the Result
South Africa extended their lead seven minutes into the second half. Appollis once again forced a save from Sultan, allowing Yaya Sithole to convert the rebound for a 3-0 advantage. Past the hour mark, Appollis secured another assist by playing Rayners into space on the left side of the penalty area, where the striker finished clinically from a tight angle to bring the score to 4-0. Eritrea mounted a response when Esrom Yohannes forced a one-handed save from Williams in the 69th minute, and Williams intervened again ten minutes later to deny Sulieman. Substitute Luther Singh added a fifth goal in injury time, sweeping home Appollis’s third assist of the match.
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Upcoming Fixtures in the Qualifying Campaign
The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers resume in November, with South Africa scheduled for back-to-back fixtures against Kenya, while Eritrea faces back-to-back matches against Guinea. Prior to those qualifiers, Bafana Bafana will travel for a friendly match against Egypt in Cairo on Sunday, 4 October.
Match Details and Lineups
Eritrea 0, South Africa 5 (R. Mofokeng 19’ 45+1’, Y. Sithole 52’, I. Rayners 63’, L. Singh 90+3’)
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Eritrea: Y. Sultan, H. Asmelash, J. Misignha, N. Embaye, J. Idris (M. Lundgren 58’), T. Tekie, N. Girmai (A. Isaac 77’), E. Yohannes (N. Embaye 45+2’), A. Teklezgi (Y. Yonas 76’), F. Gerezgiher (Y. Sebhatu 58’), A. Sulieman
South Africa: R. Williams, K. Sebelebele, I. Okon, O. Makhanya (L. Seema 74’), S. Kabini, B. Aubaas (B. Poggenpoel 12’), Y. Sithole (T. Zwane 79’), O. Appollis, R. Mofokeng, T. Maseko (C. Mailula 74’), I. Rayners (L. Singh 74’)
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Frequently Asked Questions About the Group D Match
Who scored the goals for South Africa against Eritrea?
Relebohile Mofokeng scored twice, while Yaya Sithole, Iqraam Rayners, and Luther Singh each added a goal.
Where was the AFCON qualifier played?
The match took place at the Al Salam Stadium in Cairo.
Who recorded the assists for Bafana Bafana?
Oswin Appollis provided three assists, and Samukele Kabini contributed one assist.
What is South Africa’s next fixture?
Bafana Bafana will face Egypt in a friendly match in Cairo on Sunday, 4 October.
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