Fierce fight secures draw

Sophia Braun (right) celebrates with Romina Nunez after scoring Argentina’s first goal yesterday. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

Argentina thundered back from two goals down to secure a thrilling 2-2 draw against South Africa in their Fifa Women’s World Cup clash at Dunedin Stadium yesterday.

They left it until the 74th minute to find their first, through a screaming volley from Sophia Braun from outside the box.

Romina Nunez levelled from a corner five minutes later much to the delight of their fans in the 8834 crowd.

Those fans barely took a breath all game, on their feet banging their drums and tins, singing songs and waving balloons and flags to spur their team on, creating an electric atmosphere.

Argentina’s coach German Portanova said he was emotional about his players’ fightback and admired the courage they showed searching for the late result.

After being down 1-0 at halftime, Portanova told his team to "play with the love" that characterised their game and it worked to get them on the scoreboard.

But he was honest in saying his team were slow in the first half and had some "good and bad moments" that let South Africa run away with the game early.

South African forward Thembi Kgatlana starred, setting up her side’s first goal in the 33rd minute before scoring her own in the 66th.

But coach Desiree Ellis’s disappointment was spread across her face following the game, frustrated at her side’s inability to keep Argentina out.

"I don’t think it’s the defence, to be honest.

"It’s the moment we get into the final third and we make the wrong decisions.

"It’s about taking our chances. It’s about making better decisions in the final third. It doesn’t matter who scores.

"That’s the problem — that we don’t take those chances. It comes back to haunt us every time."

The draw hurt and she took aim at not receiving the "protection" from officials against Argentina or Sweden.

"We haven’t gotten the decisions, the 50/50 decisions ... both games we never got that.

"You almost blow on someone and then it’s a free kick against you. That’s got to be better, too."

Her side looked to be in strife when their captain Refiloe Jane landed awkwardly and was stretchered from the field after just 25 minutes.

But they recovered to score their first eight minutes later.

Kgatlana used her speed to exploit the defence and made a break down the right side.

Argentina’s defenders were caught napping thinking Kgatlana was offside, giving her room to square the ball for Linda Motlhalo to secure a 1-0 lead that continued to halftime.

Argentina picked up the intensity in the second half, but South Africa scored again.

Jermaine Seoposenwe stole the ball off her defender in the final third, catching Argentina off guard and down on numbers.

She centred a lovely ball inside to Kgatlana who finished it off.

Tyla Tredrea, 11, (left) and Zo Dashati, both of Christchurch, support South Africa team at Dunedin Stadium yesterday. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH

But Argentina came back from the brink in the 74th minute when Braun banged in her side’s first goal.

They wasted no time celebrating the wonder strike — surely a contender for goal of the tournament so far — running back to halfway with time of the essence to get a much-needed leveller.

It came five minutes later when Nunez’s header pushed the ball across the goal-line.

Both teams had costly yellow cards towards the end of the first half — Miriam Mayorga (Argentina) and Kholosa Biyana (South Africa) were both booked. They will miss their team’s final group G games.