SAfrica secures morale-boosting win over Thailand
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}NELSPRUIT, South Africa (AP) — 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.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}FC Twente forward Bernard Parker, a second-half substitute, added the fourth in the 89th minute.