Pretoria - Banyana Banyana were crushed to a 3-nil defeat to a new-look Zimbabwe in the annual Unity Cup at the Rufaro Stadium in Harare, on Thursday.
Goals by Rudo Neshamba, Rutendo Makore and Kudakwashe Basopo consigned Banyana to one of their heaviest defeats in a roller coaster 2011 season. All goals came in a pulsating second half.
US-based goalkeeper Roxanne Barker got 45 minutes of match time, brought on for regular number one Thoko Mndaweni.
However, the talented goal-minder had hardly put on her gloves before Rudo Neshamba made up for a horrendous first half miss on an open goal.
Three minutes into the second half, the Zimbabwean striker turned Banyana left back Nothando Vilakazi inside out before firing home a thunderous shot that flew past a despairing Barker to send the 20 000-odd crowd into a party mood.
As Banyana searched for the equalizer, they were caught on a counter-attack when Makore took full advantage of some poor South African defending, to score from just inside the penalty area, shooting wide of Barker 10 minutes before full-time.
Barker brilliantly kept the score-line to 2-nil, by pulling off a full length 'tip-over-the-crossbar' save from Erina Jeke, whose bullet-like shot was heading for the top right corner of the Banyana goal-net.
However, she could not stop Basopo from putting the final nail in the coffin when she blasted a loose ball into the back of the net to send the boisterous crowd into frenzy.
The defeat took the Banyana 2011 matches statistics to 13 wins, 1 draw and 3 losses in 17 outings, a year into the coaching stint of head coach Joseph Mkhonza.
The re-shuffled Banyana defensive quartet was severely tested throughout the first half of the match.
Debutant Zamandosi Cele included at centre back for the unavailable Janine van Wyk and Simphiwe Masina, Amanda Sister and Vilakazi, were some of the busiest players on the artificial playing surface at the Rufaro Stadium.
Texas, US-based midfielder Kylie Ann Louw showed great determination on the right hand side of the South African midfield, where she combined well with striker Sanah Mollo.
Mollo, who plays her football for Sasol League (Free State) side Bloemfontein Celtic, has been used mainly in a midfield role when called to the national squad, but her well educated right foot for corner set pieces and crosses caused many an anxious moment for the home team's defence.
Both teams went into the half-time interval ruing missed chances with Banyana super striker Noko Matlou uncharacteristically blasting the ball over the Zimbabwean cross bar with only home team goalkeeper Onai Chingawo to beat.
