Fluke strike eliminates Slovenia

Group B
South Africa 1
Slovenia 0

Siyabonga Nomvethe's fluke goal gave South Africa their first World Cup finals win yesterday, a 1-0 victory over Slovenia that completed a disastrous week for the European side by knocking them out of the tournament.

Nomvethe was unmarked as he stooped to head a Quinton Fortune free-kick from the left, but the ball struck his thigh and flew into the net after only four minutes to seal South Africa's first victory in their second appearance at the finals.

South Africa were left in second place in Group B on four points behind Spain, who booked their place in the second round on Friday with a 3-1 win over Paraguay.

The African side's coach Jomo Sono was very happy with his young players.

"I am proud of them. These kids, that's what I call them, even though there were some older ones. The boys did great. Maybe we'll qualify."

Sono thought the South Africans had been rewarded for their thorough preparations.

"We planned well... we must have looked at the tape a million times," he said. "We could have scored more, we missed a lot of chances."

Slovenia, playing in their first World Cup, had clearly failed to regroup following the expulsion on Thursday of playmaker Zlatko Zahovic after a bust-up with coach Srecko Katanec, and appeared woefully short of creativity and spirit.

But Katanec said he was still proud of his side, who had made such a favourable impression with their performances at Euro 2000.

"I think my team played a good game," he said. "South Africa were no better than us. They scored from a free-kick. It was a blow for my team, but I'm proud of them.

"I said before we arrived here that we were proud that we were here," he added. "I think we were competitive and we played good football."

Slovenia failed to put a single shot on goal to test South African keeper Andre Arendse in the first half.

The South Africans, who made their World Cup finals debut in 1998, provided the more attacking football, but even they sometimes looked ragged, with numerous crosses and free-kicks mis-hit or landing in empty space.

Sono played two strikers and was rewarded with far more chances, many of them coming from crosses from midfielders Fortune and Sibusiso Zuma.

Slovenia defender Aleksander Knavs appeared to be marking Benni McCarthy in the first half, but that left Nomvethe with the space to run down the right, often backed by Zuma.

Match officials ordered an increasingly disgruntled and protesting Katanec, who has pledged to quit Slovenia after the World Cup, to leave the dugout and watch the second half from the stands.

"If the referee is honest, he will say what happened, because nothing happened," Katanec said. "There was no insulting on my part. I don't know why he sent me out."

From the stands he ordered a double substitution, replacing Milenko Acimovic, an ineffective stand-in for Zahovic, with Nastja Ceh and Knavs with Spasoje Bulajic.

The move added some graft to the Slovenian midfield and defence and produced a couple of late half-chances.

South Africa drew their opening game against Paraguay 2-2. The other sides eliminated from the tournament are Saudi Arabia and Nigeria.

South Africa: Arendse; Nzama, A. Mokoena, Radebe, Carnell; Fortune (Pule 85), Sibaya, T. Mokoena, Zuma; Nomvethe (Buckley), McCarthy (Koumantarakis 80).

Slovenia: Simeunovic; Knavs (Bulajic 60), Vugdalic, Milinovic, Karic; Novak, A. Ceh, Pavlin, Rudonja, Acimovic (N. Ceh 60); Cimirotic (Osterc 41).

Referee: Angel Sanchez (Argentina).

Scorer: Nomvethe 4.

Yellow cards: Radebe (SA), T. Mokoena (SA); Vugdalic (S), A. Ceh (S), Pavlin (S).

HT: 1-0. Attendance: 47,226.