National Team Friendly

National Stadium
Spectators: 10300 (Terracing: 7725, Seating: 2369, VIP seats: 206) The sun was shining, the grass was green and the audience cheered when Blaise Deck got the match started through his kick off. 2 minutes into the match, U21 South Africa's goalkeeper Rafael Thebe had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Blaise Deck. In the 4th minute, Damien Gendre hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. If Bradley Wanani had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 5th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Bradley Wanani fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 7th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Bixente Cros having to interfere. In the 10th minute, Lindo Sewele got an opportunity to score, but he didn't get a solid hit on the ball and ended up kicking it wide of the goal. Thanyani Komani blasted a shot towards the goal in the 12th minute, but the shot hit the top of the crossbar and went out without Bixente Cros having to make a save. In the 16th match minute, U21 France was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Klara Morgan to maneuver through the defense. Allan King kicked well hit freekick during the 20th minute of the match. U21 France's Blaise Deck got a good chance for a goal in the 21st minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. 28 minutes into the match, U21 France's goal looked a bit too open when Bradley Wanani came free, but Bixente Cros reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. 34 minutes into the match, Jackson Françon notched a goal, 1-0, to the right of U21 South Africa's Rafael Thebe. Rafael Thebe was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. 38 minutes into the match, U21 France's goal looked a bit too open when Bradley Wanani came free, but Bixente Cros reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Blaise Deck received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 39th minute. Rafael Thebe tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. An unexpectedly hard shot by Blaise Deck in the 44th minute of play forced U21 South Africa's goalkeeper Rafael Thebe to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. U21 South Africa made a substitution. Melusi Shoba replaced Justice Mandela. The away team players looked dejected as the walked off the pitch at half time. They had fought hard, but were still losing 1-0.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Lindo Sewele to make the kick off. With his leg Bixente Cros managed to avoid a goal in the 53rdth minute, when U21 South Africa's Lindo Sewele fired away a shot with a lot of spin towards his right hand side. Rafael Thebe showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Blaise Deck in the 57th minute of the match. U21 France's Bixente Janssen got a good chance for a goal in the 58th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. Klara Morgan might have been able to make a better finish in the 60th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Rafael Thebe. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Klara Morgan ran back to his position shaking his head. Rafael Thebe took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Klara Morgan, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Blaise Deck struck a weak shot in the 64th minute. Rafael Thebe didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for U21 France. When U21 France's Blaise Deck in the 67th minute got a chance for a shot 67th didn't hesitate and placed the ball to the right of the goalie. A beautiful save bye U21 South Africa's goalie prevented a goal. Rafael Thebe came out of the goal in the 69th minute to try and stop a shot by U21 France's Klara Morgan. But to his dismay, Klara Morgan quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 2-0. U21 France's Gildas Lyon was substituted for Damien Gendre. U21 France made a substitution. Alou Forte replaced Bixente Janssen. The supporters of U21 South Africa booed when U21 France was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 73 match minutes in a wonderful position. Bruce Bouvart didn't get a good kick on the ball. U21 South Africa's Rafael Thebe played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Blaise Deck in the 82nd minute of play. In the 84th minute, Lindo Sewele reached a very good position and smashed the ball with a huge effort into the net, just to the left of Bixente Cros. The goal made the score 2-1. 87 minutes into the game, Blaise Deck cracked a shot to the right of the goalkeeper, 3-1. Rafael Thebe was not in position, and could only watch the ball fly in. Rafael Thebe didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Blaise Deck went, in the 89th minute, to the upper right corner, 4-1 was the resulting score. In the 92nd minute Jackson Françon shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Rafael Thebe saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. An unexpectedly hard shot by Jackson Françon in the 94th minute of play forced U21 South Africa's goalkeeper Rafael Thebe to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. An unexpectedly hard shot by Bradley Wanani in the 95th minute of play forced U21 France's goalkeeper Bixente Cros to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. For all the effort they put into the match, the U21 South Africa players left disappointed. They had fought hard, but couldn't break down the home team's defense. The match ended in a win for U21 France.