Lesotho 0-2 South Africa

Tlou Segolela scored his first-ever goal for South Africa before going on to secure a brace as they beat Lesotho 2-0 in Maseru on Sunday afternoon. The Orlando Pirates ace fired home in either half to help Bafana Bafana build up a head of steam heading into their 2014 World Cup qualifiers against Central African Republic and Ethiopia later in June. Gale-force winds heavily effected this weekend's match, with Bafana enjoying the advantage with their backs to the gust in the opening half, and they almost opened the scoring after 11 minutes as Siphiwe Tshabalala played Katlego Mashego in behind the defence, but the striker couldn't get the right connection and dragged his shot narrowly wide. Moments later South Africa came even closer to breaking the deadlock as Oupa Manyisa let fly from outside the area, although the Pirates midfielder's effort fizzed just inches over the crossbar. With 16 minutes gone Gordon Igesund's men should have taken the lead as Dean Furman slipped the ball down the left channel for Tshabalala, who then crossed in to find the head of Bernard Parker, and although the striker met the ball perfectly on the run, he was unable to direct his effort and sent the effort sailing well over from just a few yards out. Eric Mathoho had a golden chance to find the back of the net on the half-hour mark as he met Segolela's near-post delivery, and although he got a touch to the ball it wasn't enough as he saw his effort flick up and wide from right in front of the goal. Moments later Parker was desperately unlucky not to open the scoring as his free-kick crashed off the underside of the bar, while Mashego saw his follow-up header somehow tipped over by the recovering goalkeeper. Wayne Sandilands was forced into his first save of the game after 42 minutes, and the goalkeeper did really well to not let any complacency creep into his game, getting down low to smother Mabuti Potloane's goal-bound header from a corner. Lesotho were in the ascendancy in the closing stages of the first half, and Potloane wasn't too far away from scoring a spectacular long-range effort before the break, but in the end he saw his rasping drive flash over the crossbar. With just seconds remaining in the opening half Bafana finally found the back of the net, albeit in fortunate circumstances as an apparently off-side Segolela tapped home Tshabalala's ball across the face of goal. Igesund used the break to switch things around, with no fewer than four substitutes being made within the first 10 minutes of the second half, and with 60 minutes gone on the clock they got their second. The Lesotho goalkeeper attempted to catch Thabo Nthethe's fierce delivery from out wide, but in the end dropped the ball at the far post, with Segolela reacting quickest to control before turning and firing a delightful shot into the bottom corner. Bafana had a great chance to grab a third moments later as Parker was played clean through on goal before clipping his effort over the on-rushing keeper, but the ferocious wind prevented the ball from crossing the line and allowed the defence to get back and hack clear. Midway through the second period Lesotho thought they had pulled one back as Katleho Moleko was set up on the edge of the area before drilling his shot at goal, although Senzo Meyiwa just managed to touch the shot onto the crossbar to send the effort behind. With nine minutes remaining the hosts were again denied by the woodwork with Nkau Lerotholi hammering his drive against the crossbar.