Foster scores late goal as South Africa defeat Angola in their AFCON opener

South Africa defeated Angola 2-1 in the Africa Cup of Nations Group B match on Monday, marking their first victory in the continental finals in 21 years, with the excellent winner from outside the box.

South Africa almost deserved the nervy victory, as well, when the goal was disallowed and hit the crossbar. Angela also had chances, and she won’t regret not receiving anything from the game.

When Oswin Appollis worked a shot chance and slotted the ball in the bottom corner of the box, South Africa took the lead on 21 minutes. Before the break, however, Angola equalized when Show touched Fredy’s free kick to direct the ball into the net.

After 79 minutes, Foster was teed up 20 yards and curled his shot into the top corner to give the bronze medalists from two years ago a successful campaign.

South Africa produced a workmanlike performance, which did not have the many top European league players that their competition, Foster, who had only one appearance at Premier League Burnley, have.

However, under Belgian coach Hugo Broos, they are a well-oiled machine and did enough to advance to the knockout stages. Later on Monday, Egypt and Zimbabwe will compete in the same pool.

even the first half

After a period of constant possession, Sipho Mbule and Foster touched Khuliso Mudau’s cross before Appollis beat two defenders and side-footed into the bottom corner of the net.

Show, who has now won his 50th cap for his country, scored Fredy’s low free kick into the bottom corner to make it 1-1 after 35 minutes.

When South Africa’s Tshepang Moremi turned his defender in the middle of the half and fired low into the bottom corner of the net, South Africa thought they had retake the lead, but a VAR review revealed that Foster was offside in the buildup.

Mbekezeli Mbokazi, a South African international, hit the crossbar with a rasping shot from 35 yards, before Foster’s brilliant strike secured all three points.

Zambia and Mali rally to contest.

In a previous Group A game on Monday, Zambia’s Patson Daka put his team into a 1-1 draw with Mali in Casablanca with a spectacular diving header in stoppage time.

Mali dominated the majority of the match, but the final few minutes of stoppage time saw Zambia stage a late recovery, with Daka leaping through the air to score Mathews Banda’s curling cross.

After El Bilal Toure’s first-half penalty was saved, Lassine Sinayoko made use of shoddy defending to give Mali a 62nd-minute lead.