Injury-time Sangare strike foils Foster’s delight as Bafana blow it to draw with Liberia

At Orlando Stadium

The strike was so surreal it seemed like something out of this orbit – like an alien object shooting like a cannon into the goal.

That’s how Bafana Bafana goalkeeper and captain Ronwen Williams must have felt as Mohammed Sangare’s 91st long-range rocket earned Liberia a 2-2 draw in a crucial Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier at Orlando Stadium on Friday night.

AS IT HAPPENED | SA v Liberia

The goal was a shock to the system, sending the crowd, who were buoyed and cheery at 2-0 to SA, into stunned silence. Celebration turned into a funereal atmosphere.

Bafana did a complete self-sabotage job in the way only Bafana can, turning the gun from the opponent and planting it firmly on their own feet and making their task to get to Ivory Coast that much harder.

Although not all is lost and they could still qualify for the tournament by winning in Monrovia on Tuesday (18:00), they should have completely annihilated Liberia at home but blew the chance.

It was all looking too good and too easy. That’s when South Africans worry the most about their national team. They’ve seen it against Iraq, Cape Verde, Gambia and Sierra Leonne at various junctures in the past.

Nine minutes in and just seconds after Liberia had a penalty shout turned down, Percy Tau pounced on a long ball over the top, and received the ball before the goalkeeper, who brought the Bafana attacker down.

Burnley striker Lyle Foster stepped up, hopped, skipped and sent the goalkeeper Tommy Songo the wrong way – 1-0 to South Africa and not a moment too soon.

The goal definitely settled the hosts, who were frazzled in the opening five minutes as Liberia came with more purpose and intent.

In the 22nd minute, another excellent delivery, this time by Teboho