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Sapa

Johannesburg — An injury time strike from Katlego Mphela gave Bafana Bafana a 1-0 win over Egypt in their Group G 2012 Africa Cup of Nations at Ellis Park Stadium on Saturday evening.

In what turned out to be the last play of the match, Mphela was put through by Reneilwe Letsholonyane and calmly slotted the winner past goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary to send the over 20 000 supporters in attendance to a frenzy.

The home team maintains their unbeaten run in the group, and have now assembled seven points from three matches, with a foot in next year's continental tournament in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

This is Egypt's second loss in the campaign. The African champions remain bottom of the standings with just a single point from three games.

Inretrospect though, in a game that coach Pitso Mosimane marked as his most crucial when he walked into the job eight months ago, this was easily the worst Bafana showing in his tenure.

South Africa were lacklustre throughout, more especially in the first half even though they maintained the bulk of the possession in the first half, failing to force a save from El-Hadary.

Bafana had opted to start with two strikers in Mphela and Bernard Parker upfront while also playing the right-footed Siboniso Gaxa at left-back.

The team's creative launch pad from midfield, Steven Pienaar was an injury concern earlier in the week, one reason why he was not at his best on the night. The captain was replaced by Letsholonyane for the last 10 minutes of the game.

Mphela and Parker also failed to combine or give any threat to the visitors' goal, with Mphela's effort midway through the second half where he failed to connect with a cross on the right flank being the team's best opportunity in the encounter.

In contrast, Egypt were much sharper when they had the opportunities to roam forward to end all talk that they would lack match fitness considering that the majority of the players in their squad have been inactive due to their league back home being suspended.

Mahmoud Abdul Razzak proved to be their biggest threat to the South African defence with his darting runs.

The big striker needed a splendidly timed tackle from Morgan Gould in the box as he attempted to find the game's opener in the 18th minute.

He later drew a save from keeper Itumeleng Khune from a shot taken shortly before the interval.

Sydney Mahlangu/Backpagepix

Katlego Mphela tackled by William Gallas of France at a World Cup match last year.

The Pharaohs fullback Mohamed Fatahala also saw his pinpoint header narrowly go over the bar midway through the first half.

Egypt began the second half with more purpose as they searched for their first win in the group stages, and came close when midfielder Mohamed Shawky's header went narrowly wide from a corner kick.

More energy and intention was evient by Bafana when they took off Parker for winger Tlou Segolela close to the hour mark, and it looked to pay some dividends with the Orlando Pirates man probing the Egyptian defence with his pace.

The next game for Bafana will again be against the Egyptians in Cairo in June.