SA hand win to France

The SA Under-23 side have themselves to blame after they were beaten 4-3 by France in a match they should have wrapped up comfortably at the Tokyo Olympics on Sunday.

The South Africans had no business losing this match after leading three times‚ but they somehow contrived to allow the French to come back through a hat-trick from André-Pierre Gignac before the European side snatched the winner courtesy of a late strike from Teji Savanier.

After going to the halftime break with the score 0-0‚ the match suddenly sparked into life in the second period when Kobamelo Kodisang benefited from a defensive blunder between Clement Michelin and goalkeeper Paul Bernardoni to put the South Africans in the lead in the 52nd minute.

But the French responded almost immediately when Randal Muani Kolo put Gignac through for his first goal.

The South Africans regained the lead after Evidence Makgopa converted a cross from Kodisang to beat Bernardoni.

But Gignac put the French level on 77 minutes only for the South Africans to take the lead again with 10 minutes to go when Teboho Mokoena scored a stunner from long range.

It was a special goal that was worthy of winning the match but just as they had done earlier, the South Africans again surrendered their lead‚ this time from the penalty spot after SA goalkeeper Ronwen Williams fouled Arnaud Nordin.

Gignac stepped up and converted the kick‚ drawing his side level. With the game heading for a draw, Savanier scored the winner deep in optional time.