FRANCE 98 – General Media News Template
Result of a friendly match between World Cup qualifiers Argentina and South Africa played at the River Plate Stadium here on Monday:
Argentina 2 (Gabriel Batistuta 49, Ariel Ortega 90)
South Africa 0
H-t: 0-0
Argentina: Burgos, Sensini, Paz, Ayala (Vivas 79), Zanetti, Almeyda, Veron, Simeone, Ortega, Batistuta, Lopez
South Africa: Vonk, Jackson (Mnguni 68), Fish, Radebe, Nyathi, Mkhalele, Augustine (Buckley 77), Moshoeu, Fortune, Masinga, McCarthy (Bartlett 83)
Referee: G.Mendez (Uruguay)
Red card: Mkhalele 74
Yellow cards: Masinga 11, Nyathi 25, Fortune 30, Veron 31, Lopez 60, McCarthy 72
Weather: Cloudy, cool Pitch: Heavy, slippery
Attendance: 40,000
Late goal seals victory for Argentina over South Africa
Ariel Ortega scored in the last minute to clinch a 2-0 friendly victory for Argentina over South Africa at the River Plate Stadium here Monday. It was the final World Cup warm-up match for two-time winners Argentina, while South Africa complete their preparations for the finals next month with a match against Iceland in Germany on June 6.
Gabriel Batistuta put the South Americans ahead on a cloudy afternoon with a 49th-minute header after Claudio Lopez sold Willem Jackson a dummy and crossed. The goal confirmed Batistuta as one of the most dangerous strikers in the world. He scored a hat-trick against Bosnia and snatched the winner over Chile in other friendlies this month.
Italian-based Batistuta should have opened the scoring midway through the first half when he pounced on a Lopez cross and beat goalkeeper Hans Vonk, only to see his shot trickle wide.
Argentina, one of the favourites for the 32-nation tournament that kicks off in Paris on June 10, only struck form in the second half on a pitch made slippery by pre-match rain. South Africa, who did not impress when held 1-1 at home by Zambia last week, lived up to the promise of French coach Philippe Troussier and attacked from the outset. Brendan Augustine went close twice and German Burgos made excellent reflex saves from a Phil Masinga header and a fierce shot by John ‘Shoes’ Moshoeu.
Quinton Fortune from Spanish club Atletico Madrid, one of two changes from the Zambia match, was a revelation on the left side of midfield as Bafana Bafana (The Boys) held their own until half-time. South African Helman Mkhalele was sent off by Uruguayan referee Gustavo Mendez for a late tackle on Ortega with 14 minutes left in a match that also produced six cautions.
After Argentina had repeatedly been caught offside, Lopez hit the post, Batistuta had a shot cleared off the line by Mark Fish and Burgos foiled Masinga with a brave dive before Ortega delivered the killer blow.