Thembi Kgatlana scored a last-gasp winner to present South Africa their first ever Girls’s World Cup win with a 3-2 victory over Italy that despatched them by to the Spherical of 16 on the expense of their opponents.
Striker Kgatlana struck two minutes into stoppage time to ship her crew off to Sydney for a conflict with Netherlands on Sunday and broke the hearts of the Italians, who had solely wanted a draw to progress.
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Italy had appeared to salvage the draw they wanted when Arianna Caruso scored from a nook within the 74th minute however had been left to rue what might have been after a collection of late missed probabilities.
Italy had opened the scoring when Karabo Dhlamini tripped Italy ahead Chiara Beccari simply contained in the field within the tenth minute and Caruso transformed the penalty with a assured shot into the underside left nook of the web.
South Africa equalised within the thirty second minute by an personal aim from Benedetta Orsi, who didn’t test the place goalkeeper Francesca Durante was earlier than making a again go.
South Africa went forward for the primary time within the 67th minute when Kgatlana’s neat inside go discovered Hildah Magaia free behind the defensive position and the ahead swept it into the web.
Caruso answered seven minutes later from a nook when the ball caught her hip in a goalmouth scramble and cannoned into the underside proper nook of the aim.
It appeared as if Italy would possibly dangle on for the attract a frantic finale however Magaia’s go discovered Kgatlana within the field and the striker smashed the ball into the web to safe second place within the group behind Sweden.