SAfrica begins final round of warmups with morale-boosting 4-0 win over Thailand

SAfrica secures morale-boosting win over Thailand

NELSPRUIT, South Africa — South Africa began its final round of World Cup warmups with a morale-boosting 4-0 win over Thailand at Mbombela Stadium on Sunday.

The World Cup host scored three goals in 11 first-half minutes to mark its first match at the new venue in the northern city of Nelspruit.

Midfielder Siphiwe Tshabalala rewarded a boisterous home crowd at the Mbombela when he curled in a 22nd-minute freekick for the game’s opening goal. Striker Katlego Mphela then added two in three minutes as Carlos Alberto Parreira’s Bafana Bafana dominated a lightweight Thailand team.

FC Twente forward Bernard Parker, a second-half substitute, added the fourth in the 89th minute.