Tuesday, May 22nd, 2012
It took 73 minutes before the deadlock was broken in the third-placed playoff although Spain had a Sergio Busquets effort chalked off early in second half. When the goal finally arrived it was Bafana Bafana who were celebrating as Katlego Mphela scored from close range converting a left wing cross. Just as the South Africans were beginning to count their chickens Dani Guiza stepped up to fire home an equaliser with three minutes on the clock. Amazingly Spain then scored an incredible second sixty seconds later, Santi played the ball out wide to Dani Guiza and the forward’s misplaced cross ended up curling into the far corner of the Bafana net. But, in almost as unbelievable a twist, one of the best moments of 2009 then played out in the 92nd minute as Katlego Mphela stepped up to thunder home an unstoppable free-kick that ripped past Casillas and forced the match into extra-time. South Africa pressed in the first half of extra-time while Spain had a point-blank penalty rejected, before Xabi Alonso saw his free-kick miss everyone to find the far corner in the 106th minute of the match.
Tags: 28/06/2009, calcio, confederation cup, confederation cup 09, spagna, sud africa
