South Africa manages tie in opener

• by Soccer America , Jan 24, 2008

[AFRICAN NATIONS CUP] Brazilian Carlos Alberto Parreira, whose future with World Cup 2010 host South Africa appears dependent on his team's performance at the African Nations Cup, was pleased after the Bafana Bafana managed to salvage a 1-1 tie with Angola in their opening game on Wednesday.

"We played with a very good spirit in the second half and that has given us hope for the next match," said Parreira, who brought an experimental team to the African championship. "When we put the ball on the ground, we created some chances. We have a young team and we were playing against a side which had eight players with World Cup experience. That's why I'm happy with the performance of my team today."

Substitute Elrio van Heerden scored the South African equalizer from long range with two minutes left to give the Bafana Bafana a 1-1 tie with Angola on Wednesday.

Reflecting the parity in Group D, where all four teams played in either the 2002 or 2006 World Cup, Senegal and Tunisia tied, 2-2, in Wednesday's other game at the Tamale Sports Stadium.

(Television: Available on-demand online at 3A Telesud.)

SCOREBOARD
Group A
Jan. 20 in Accra
Ghana 2 Guinea 1
Jan. 21 in Accra
Morocco 5 Namibia 1
Jan. 24 in Accra
Guinea vs. Morocco
Ghana vs. Namibia
Jan. 28 in Accra
Ghana vs. Morocco
Jan. 28 in Sekondi
Guinea vs. Namibia

Group B
Jan. 21 in Sekondi
Ivory Coast 1 Nigeria 0
Mali 1 Benin 0
Jan. 25 in Sekondi
Ivory Coast vs. Benin
Nigeria vs. Mali
Jan, 29 in Sekondi
Nigeria vs. Benin
Jan. 29 in Accra
Ivory Coast vs. Mali

Group C
Jan. 22 in Kumasi
Egypt 4 Cameroon 2
Zambia 3 Sudan 0
Jan. 26 in Kumasi
Cameroon vs. Zambia
Egypt vs. Sudan
Jan. 30 in Kumasi
Cameroon vs. Sudan
Jan. 30 in Tamale
Egypt vs. Zambia

Group D
Jan. 23 in Tamale
Tunisia 2 Senegal 2
South Africa 1 Angola 1
Jan. 27 in Tamale
Senegal vs. Angola
Tunisia vs. South Africa
Jan. 31 in Kumasi
Senegal vs. South Africa
Jan. 31 in Tamale
Tunisia vs. Angola

Quarterfinals
Feb. 3 in Accra
Match 1: A1 vs. B2
Feb. 3 in Tamale
Match 2: B1 vs. A2
Feb. 4 in Sekondi
Match 3: C1 vs. D2
Feb. 4 in Kumasi
Match 4: D1 vs. C2

Semifinals
Feb. 7 in Accra
Match 1 winner vs. Match 4 winner
Feb. in Kumasi
Match 2 winner vs. Match 3 winner

Third-Place Game
Feb. 9 in Accra

Final
Feb. 10 in Accra