The South African national team revived its hopes of advancing to the knockout rounds of the African Cup of Nations with a 4-0 victory over Namibia on Sunday, worsening the position of the Tunisian national team in the fifth group of the tournament held in Ivory Coast.

Namibia started the match strongly, and Bernce Tjiwiza and Peter Shalulile wasted two dangerous opportunities in the first minutes, and the team paid the price after a few minutes.

In the ninth minute, the South African players called for a penalty kick from a handball inside the penalty area, and after reviewing the video assistant referee and watching the incident on a screen next to the field, he decided to award a penalty kick, which was scored by Percy Tau in the 13th minute.

⚽️🥅 Percy Tau opens the scoring for South Africa from a penalty kick#Africa_Cup of Nations#TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 pic.twitter.com/ojSszndJed

— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) January 21, 2024

Thus, the Egyptian Al-Ahly player compensates for the penalty kick he missed in the 2-0 loss to Mali at the beginning of the two teams’ journey in the tournament.

Within 15 minutes, Themba Zwane succeeded in scoring two goals, the first of which came in the 25th minute with a powerful shot from inside the penalty area, before he strengthened his team’s advantage 5 minutes before the end with a wonderful touch from also inside the area after a start from the left side.

⚽️🥅 Themba Zwane boosts South Africa's progress#Africa_Cup of Nations | #South Africa | #Namibia#TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 pic.twitter.com/orddB6yNek

— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) January 21, 2024

⚽️🥅 Themba Zwane adds the third goal for South Africa and his second of the match#Africa_Cup of Nations | #South Africa | #Namibia#TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 pic.twitter.com/6LIBcDKjvb

— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) January 21, 2024

The match was a debate between the two teams in the second half, although most of the attempts were not dangerous until the 75th minute, when Thabelo Maseko concluded the scoring, crowning a counter-attack, using a long pass to fire a shot from close range that entered the net despite colliding with the goalkeeper.

⚽️🥅 The South African national team increases the troubles of the Namibia national team#Africa_Cup of Nations#TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 pic.twitter.com/4B6E4tZ2NZ

— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) January 21, 2024

Thus, the South African national team is back on the right track after losing 2-0 to Mali in the opening match.

South Africa's score rises to 3 points in second place, one point behind leaders Mali, which tied earlier today 1-1 with Tunisia, which is at the bottom of the standings with one point.

There is no alternative for the Tunisian national team to win the next match against South Africa next Wednesday to have a chance to advance to the knockout stages.