South Africa 2-1 Sudan

South Africa secured qualification to next year's Africa Cup of Nations after goals in each half by Thulani Serero and Tokelo Rantie helped them to a 2-1 win over Sudan in Durban on Saturday.

Ajax Amsterdam forward Serero finished from close-range after 38 minutes, while AFC Bournemouth striker Rantie added a superb second after 53 minutes to extend the advantage.

Substitute Ibrahim Salah pulled a goal back with 13 minutes to play as Bafana Bafana had to endure some late pressure, but held on to qualify, not by virtue of being hosts, for a major tournament for the first time since 2008.

The match was the first since the death of captain Senzo Meyiwa, who was shot dead last month, and with over 30,000 fans in attendance at the Moses Mabhida Stadium, the home side began solidly enough with new skipper Dean Furman a prominent figure early on.

Their first chance of the game arrived after nine minutes as Serero unleashed a 25-yard strike that faded narrowly towards the left.

At the other end, the Sudanese created an encouraging opening before the 20-minute mark as Abdelgadir Bakri did well to hold up the ball and roll it into the path of Mahmoud Omer, whose first-time shot forced Darren Keet to dive to his right and make a routine stop.

The visitors continued to press forward and had two long-range efforts fly over through midfielder Hassan Eltaher, while Sibusiso Khumalo spared the blushes of the home side with a goal-saving tackle on Nassir Nazar just on the half hour.

Bafana Bafana's attack was looking increasing blunt as Rantie and Khumalo chose wrong options in the final third as the frustration increased.

However, the goal arrived seven minutes from the break as Rantie's squared from the left byline - the ball eluding Gafar Ali's slip - and Serero finished from the centre of the box.

Bongani Ndulula should have doubled the lead moments before the break, but somehow pushed Khumalo's delightful ball wide with even the goalkeeper Mahgoub Elmoiz grounded, while the Sudan custodian saved low from Serero in stoppage time.

The momentum was carried into the second half by Bafana Bafana, and less than a minute after the restart, Rantie forced another good save with this shot from the left after the ball fell into his path.

The England-based striker finally found his range thanks to some dazzling control that took him past two defenders, before he arrowed the ball beyond Elmoiz.

Sudan did pull a goal back in the 77th minute as Salah thumped in from close range after finding himself unmarked in the middle of the box.

But Shakes Mashaba's men held on to qualify from Group A and reach the 2015 finals, which will be played in Equatorial Guinea.