Bafana Bafana can breathe again. A game of two penalties - one denied to Paraguay 30 seconds from the start, one given against them 15 seconds from the end - allowed South Africa to clamber back into contention yesterday and let one Premiership reserve-team player emerge beaming into the limelight.
Quinton Fortune, an underused squad player at Manchester United, ignored a spot of gamesmanship from Paraguay's Francisco Arce before driving the last-minute spot-kick emphatically beyond Ricardo Tavarelli.
The penalty, carelessly conceded by the goalkeeper for a foul on Sibusiso Zuma, completed the Africans' improbable comeback.
"Arce told me I was going to miss, but I just smiled at him and asked him why he would say something like that," said Fortune, whose frenzied celebrations befitted a first goal in 41 international appearances.
The 25-year-old is the highest-profile South African player of his generation. "I wouldn't have done it - it's simply not good sportsmanship - but he must have sensed I was nervous."
Instead, the shivers of apprehension were transferred to Paraguay's players, who trudged off to face the wrath of Cesare Maldini.
The better side until after the hour-mark, Paraguay let a position of consummate superiority slip.
"We only played for a half," growled the Italian. Such a slipshod capitulation could cost them dear - group favourites Spain and the smarting Slovenians await.
The South Africans could do little to stem the flow of breakaways. "They played quite a European style," said Fortune, "and we found it hard to counter".
Roque Santa Cruz and Arce put Paraguay 2-0 up with one each either side of the break before Bafana Bafana rallied when Teboho Mokoena's shot took a deflection off Estanislao Struway to trickle beyond Tavarelli.
Benni McCarthy might have found an equaliser before Zuma's charge was foiled illegally by Tavarelli. "Normally if you go 2-0 down you think it's all over, but at United we sometimes play better from there," added Fortune. "We never gave up and we found our reward."
SUBSTITUTES
Paraguay: Gavilan for Alvarenga (66); Morinigo for Campos (72); Franco for Struway (86).
South Africa: Mukasi for Issa (27); Koumantarakis for McCarthy (78).
YELLOW CARDS
Paraguay: Caceres, Caniza, Tavarelli, Franco.
South Africa: Aaron Mokoena, Issa, Radebe, Zuma.
