Bernard Parker scored early and late goals as South Africa posted a 2-0 win over Mozambique Tuesday in a friendly at Mbombela Stadium.
It was the second game in charge for new South Africa coach Gordon Igesund and his first victory after a 1-0 loss to five-time world champions Brazil in Sao Paulo last Friday.
Mozambique made eight changes to the team that upset Morocco 2-0 last Sunday in a qualifier for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, which South Africa hosts next January and February.
"My players were very tired because the Brazil match involved travelling through four time zones and it showed in our performance," said Igesund, the only coach to win the South Africa Premiership title with four clubs.
Germany-born Mozambique coach Gert Engels said: "It was very tough playing a very good team just two days after our previous match. However, the game was a worthwhile exercise as it gave me a chance to test some youngsters."
Parker, a 26-year-old striker who played in Serbia, Netherlands and Greece before returning home to join Kaizer Chiefs last season, opened the scoring on seven minutes and added a second three minutes from time.
He raced on to a Siphiwe Tshabalala pass to steer the ball past Nelson Logomale for the first and struck a hard, low shot under the body of the goalkeeper to seal success.
Automatic qualifiers South Africa will continue preparations for the Cup of Nations with a match in Poland on October 12 and there is the possibility of another friendly in a Middle East country four days later.
Source: AFP
