Johannesburg – The South African Under-23 team were knocked out of the Olympic football tournament despite making their French counterparts to dig deep to secure a 4-3 victory in their second Group A match of the Summer Games at Saitama Stadium in Tokyo on Sunday.
The loss evidently marked the team’s early return home after failing to get maximum points in the first two ties or at least one victory and the draw to keep their hopes alive, depending on the results of the match between Japan and Mexico later on Sunday.
Mzansi suffered a setback when Luther Singh missed from the penalty spot, but the South Africans put that setback behind them, turning the tables against French, who were forced to come back thrice from behind in a match marked by a total of seven goals.
Coach David Notoane’s charges took the lead through Kabamelo Kodisang eight minutes into the second half but Andre-Pierre Gignac, the man who got a hat-trick, cancelled the lead three minutes later.
Evidence Makgopa put the South Africans in front for the second time in the 73rd however Gignac levelled matters five minutes later. Tebogo Mokoena’s beautiful strike gave SA a lifeline for the third time only for Gignac to score from penalty spot to make it 3-all.
South Africa was dealt a heavy blow with two minutes remaining before the final whistle when Teji Savanier scored the winner for the French, the only time they led the match.
Both sides met for this encounter at the back of having lost their opening matches. On Thursday, SA lost 1-0 to hosts Japan while the French received a 4-1 drubbing at the hands of Mexico.
The Boys from Mzansi are scheduled to meet Mexico in the last group match on Wednesday.
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