Mambas bite Bafana B in Cosafa Cup opener

The Bafana Bafana B team taking part in the Cosafa Cup in Bloemfontein got off to a rocky start, losing 1-0 to an energetic Mozambique at Free State Stadium on Wednesday.
Star attacker Antonio Sumbane provided the 73rd-minute winner for the Mambas.
Both teams, as is the nature of the Southern African competition, are definitely developmental combinations.
Hugo Broos's senior Bafana meet Mozambique's first-stringers in a friendly in Polokwane on Tuesday. The senior coach has no Mamelodi Sundowns players available as the Betway Premiership champions prepare for the Club World Cup that starts in the US on June 14, and Broos has picked many new faces as he widens his talent pool.
Vela Khumalo, only announced as coach of the South African Cosafa Cup side late last week, had his hastily-arranged squad arrive on Monday, with just two training sessions to their opener. That seemed to show in the overall performance.
🏆 ℂ𝕆𝕊𝔸𝔽𝔸 ℂ𝕌ℙ 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟝 🏆
🗣️ "𝙸𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊 𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚞𝚕𝚝𝚜"
Bafana Bafana coach Vela Khumalo reacting to their loss against Mozambique in their opening match. #SABCSportFootball #COSAFACup pic.twitter.com/AVmsFdX72j
— SABC Sport (@SABC_Sport) June 4, 2025
The South Africans owned the first half but could not take the lead. Khumalo's side waned notably in the second 45 minutes.
South Africa skinned Mozambique down the right in the opening 45 minutes, where TS Galaxy fullback Puso Dithejane and Stellenbosch FC attacker Sanele Barns combined well and often ran rampant.
Yet the Mambas also had opportunities, notably one early on where lively playmaker Sumbane's cross from the left was spilt by goalkeeper Thakasani Mbanjwa to Baptista, who struck at South Africa's keeper after he had regained his footing.
Victor Letsoalo was played through on the left and struck onto the crossbar.
Sometimes the South Africans seemed to over-elaborate, though it was fun to watch, Dithejane back-heeling to Barns, taking a return pass and driving over from the edge of the area.
🏆 ℂ𝕆𝕊𝔸𝔽𝔸 ℂ𝕌ℙ 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟝 🏆
⚽️ ⒼⓄⒶⓁ: The Mambas break the deadlock!
𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚 🇿🇦 0⃣➖1⃣ 🇲🇿 𝐌𝐨𝐳𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞
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🌐 https://t.co/26PdrPrnVE #SABCSportFootball #COSAFACup pic.twitter.com/qv8JlZONBM
— SABC Sport (@SABC_Sport) June 4, 2025
Barnes cut a pass back from the right to Dithejane who again struck over, this time from just inside the box.
South Africa continued to press back from the change rooms but when Mozambique's flowing front line found their stride their movement troubled the hosts.
In the 59th minute right-back Oscar Cherene squared and Sumbane struck first-time onto the crossbar, the rebound ricocheting in off Dithejane. The video assistant referee (VAR) check found an offside and over-ruled the goal.
Then Mozambique did take the lead, substitute Valter Daúce in space on the right to hit at goal, the shot parried one-handed by Mbanjwa into the path of Sumbane to gratefully sweep into an open net.
South Africa hoped they had a penalty when referee Andrisoa Zafimahatoha of Madagascar blew for a handball with just over 10 minutes of normal time left. The VAR showed Vuyo Letlapa's shot was onto the arm of Cherene, who could not have removed the limb, and the decision was overruled.

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