Bafana Bafana's World Cup qualification hopes were dashed after a 1-0 defeat to Ghana at Cape Coast Stadium on Sunday.
Siyanda Xulu, Victor Letsoalo and Ethan Brooks came into the Bafana starting lineup in place of Keagan Dolly, Evidence Makgopa and Njabulo Ngcobo.
In the sixth minute, Jordan Ayew won a free-kick on the right-hand side of the box after he was brought down by Thibang Phete. Mohamed Kudus stepped up and his curling effort went onto the roof of the net with Ronwen Williams looking like he had covered it anyway.
Rushine de Reuck then showed his defensive prowess with a diving header to clear the ball out of the box and it fell to Kamaldeen Sulemana but he dragged the shot badly wide of the right post.
The Black Stars were piling the pressure on Bafana and Daniel-Kofi Kyereh then breached the defensive line to go clear on goal but fired over the bar with a powerful effort on his right foot.
Ghana were awarded a penalty on the half-hour mark. A corner was swung in from the right and Daniel Amartey fell under the challenge of Rushine de Reuck with the referee having no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Andre Ayew stepped up and nestled the ball into the bottom right corner to cap his 100th national appearance with a goal.
The ineffective Brooks was pulled off soon after half-time and replaced by Keagan Dolly to try and give Bafana more attacking impetus.
Bafana won a free-kick in the 66th minute after Phete was fouled by Mubarak Wakaso just outside the box. Tau stepped up and he struck it cleanly but it was straight at the Ghana keeper.
Soon after, Jordan Ayew had a chance to get on the scoresheet. Kamaldeen Sulemana did well down the left-hand side to skip his way past two Bafana defenders before delivering into the box for Ayew, who headed over.
Sulemana was proving to be a thorn in Bafana’s side as he cut inside past Mobbie but fired over from the angle.
Ghana then played a long ball over the top and Williams came out but Sulemana just got to the ball ahead of him and with the goalkeeper in no-man’s-land tried to put the ball into the empty net from long range but it went wide as the Bafana captain breathed a sigh of relief.
And in the end, Bafana were unable to break down the stubborn Black Stars defence and exited in heartbreaking fashion.
