TWO goals from "Shoes" Moshoeu and one from Sean Bartlett eased South Africa into the African Nations' Cup final with a 3-0 victory over Ghana in Johannesburg. The hosts, and competition debutantes, will meet Tunisia in, Saturday's final. Tunisia enjoyed a surprise 4-2 victory over Zambia in their semi final in Durban.
Moshoeu opened the scoring with a spectacular overhead kick in the 22nd minute following a corner from Doctor Khumalo. Bartlett scored in the 46th minute after a long ball from Leeds United's Lucas Radebe, and Moshoeu darted into the box with two minutes to go to fire past goalkeeper Simon Addo for their third.
Ghana missed their injured playmaker Abedi Pele, who was ruled out with a left ankle injury he picked up against Zaire in the quarter final. South Africa, missing Leeds United striker Philomen Masinga who was out through suspension, were assured and confident throughout.
Unseeded Tunisia continued to surprise as they beat Zambia. Adel Sellimi (2), Zoubeir Beya and Kaies Godhbane scored for Tunisia, and Dennis Lota and Hillary Makasa got the goals for Zambia.
Sellimi scored in a superb move out of the blue after 15 minutes. Striker Mehdi Slimane shrugged off two defenders to cross from the by line, and Sellimi, closely marked by Harrison Choongo, got the faintest of touches to guide the ball inside James Phiri's right hand post.
Then on 28 minutes, Beya put Tunisia further ahead with his second goal of the tournament. He struck a perfect free kick from the left into the top right hand corner of Phiri's goal.
Tunisia were well on top during the half as further efforts from Sellimi and Souflane Feki were blocked by Phiri. However, just before the first goal, Zambia's Dennis Lota missed a great chance to put his side ahead. Kalusha Bwalya, the tournament's top scorer with five, fed Lota on the right, but Tunisian keeper Chokri El Ouaer blocked the shot. Then Andrew Tembo missed a golden opportunity to pull one back as he miscued from 10 yards.
Just after half time, Godhbane lobbed keeper Phiri from 25 yards to virtually finish off Zambia at 3-0. The Zambians rallied and pulled a goal back in the 68th minute. A shot by captain Kalusha Bwalya cannoned off the chest of El Ouaer and Lota, following up, steered the ball into the net.
Then, Elijah Litana brought down Mehdi Slimane with four minutes to go, and Sellimi scored his second from the spot to restore the three goal gap.
Makasa fired home in the second minute of time added on, with a scorching 25 yard drive.
Mick Byrne, the much travelled 36 year old striker, has joined Shelbourne from champions Dundalk prior to today's transfer deadline. The former Bohemians' goalkeeper John Connolly travels in the opposite direction in a direct player exchange deal as Shelbourne manager Damien Richardson seeks cover for, and a possible foil for, the league's leading scorer, Stephen Geoghegan.
Byrne, in his 17th season, has played for Bohemians, Shelbourne (two spells), Shamrock Rovers' (two spells), Huddersfield, Sligo Rovers, Dundalk (two spells) and Monaghan, during which time he has scored 112 goals.