Foster scores late goal as South Africa beat Angola in AFCON opener | Africa Cup of Nations News

Lyle Foster’s 79th-minute winner gave South Africa their first AFCON opener since 2004.

Lyle Foster scored a stunning winner from outside the box as South Africa beat Angola 2-1 in Group B of the Africa Cup of Nations in Marrakech on Monday, the first time they have won their opening match in a continental final in 21 years.

South Africa also had a goal disallowed and hit the crossbar, just about deserving the nervy victory. Angola also had chances and will be disappointed not to get something from the match.

South Africa took the lead in the 21st minute when Oswin Appollis showed some neat footwork in the box to create a shooting opportunity and slot the ball into the bottom corner. But Angola equalized before the break when Show touched Fredy’s free kick to head the ball into the net.

The winning moment came after 79 minutes, when Foster was launched from 20 yards and curled his shot into the top corner to give the bronze medalists of two years ago a positive start to the campaign.

It was a professional performance from South Africa, who lack the plethora of players in Europe’s top leagues that their tournament rivals enjoy, Foster being their only one in Premier League Burnley.

But they are a well-oiled machine under Belgian coach Hugo Broos and did enough to secure a victory that put them on course for the last 16. Egypt and Zimbabwe will meet later on Monday in the same group.

Even the first half

South Africa took the lead after a period of sustained possession which led to Khuliso Mudau’s cross, which was touched by Sipho Mbule and Foster before Appollis beat two defenders and slid side-footed into the bottom corner of the net.

Angola equalized in the 35th minute when Fredy’s low free kick was touched into the bottom corner by Show, his second goal in his 50th cap for his country, to make it 1-1 at the break.

South Africa thought they had regained the lead when half-time substitute Tshepang Moremi turned his defender around and fired low into the bottom corner of the net, but a VAR review showed Foster was offside in the build-up.

South Africa’s Mbekezeli Mbokazi smashed the ball against the crossbar with a rasping shot from 35 yards, before Foster’s clinical strike secured all three points.

Zambia mobilizes to draw against Mali

In an earlier Group A match on Monday, Zambia’s Patson Daka scored with a spectacular diving header in stoppage time to see his team come from behind and force a 1-1 draw against Mali in Casablanca.

Mali appeared to be in control for most of the match, but paid the price for their absence in the closing stages as Zambia staged a late recovery, with Daka leaping into the air to force Mathews Banda’s cross inside two minutes into stoppage time at the end of the match.

Lassine Sinayoko had “taken advantage of sloppy defending to give Mali the lead in the 62nd minute after his strike partner, El Bilal Touré, saved a first-half penalty.