South Africa end third after fluffing penalty

A South Africa's supporter holds a club flag during the African Cup of Nation qualifier match between South Africa and Mauritania at Mbombela Stadium on September 2, 2016 in Nelspruit. By (AFP)

Johannesburg (AFP) - South Africa had a penalty saved as they were held 1-1 at home by Mauritania on Friday in a disappointing end to a poor 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.

The result before a small crowd at Mbombela Stadium in north-eastern city Nelspruit condemned Bafana Bafana (The Boys) to finishing third in Group M behind winners Cameroon and Mauritania.

Their hopes of qualifying for the tournament proper were already in tatters before the game began.

Guidileye Diallo put Mauritania ahead and Hlompho Kekana equalised in the first half while Thamsanqa Gabuza had a weak second-half spot-kick saved by Mohamed Salah Din Boubacar.

Diallo completed a clinical counter-attack by stroking the ball into the corner of the net and Kekana, renowned for his powerful long-range shooting, scored with his head off a corner.

Gabuza struck the ball tamely and too close to Boubacar, a half-time substitute after Brahim Souleymane was forced off with blood gushing from his mouth after an accidental collision.

Former African champions South Africa were expected to challenge Cameroon for first place, not win only once in six matches and finish behind a country that has never qualified for the tournament.

Ending below Mauritania -- 40 places lower on the world rankings -- is a huge embarrassment for a South African team talking up their chances of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup.

They face top seeds Senegal, Cape Verde and Burkina Faso in a mini-league that kicks off during October and only the group winners qualify for Russia.

Ephraim 'Shakes' Mashaba avoided discussing the many wasted chances against Mauritania in a post-match interview.

"We played very well and were all over them," he said. "How we allowed a Mauritanian to run from the centre circle to create a goal is a mystery to me."

France-born Mauritania coach Corentin Martins said: "Our objective was to finish second in the group and I am happy that we achieved that goal."

However, a draw dashed the slim chance the visitors from north-west Africa had of filling one of two places reserved for the best runners-up.

A further 23 qualifiers are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday with 13 countries seeking to fill the remaining six places at the 2017 tournament in Gabon.