Bartlett got South Africa's opener

South Africa won what was always going to be the crunch match in Group 11 and now only need to draw against Burundi to go through to Tunisia.

Goals by Shaun Bartlett and substitute Siyabonga Nomvete ensured that South Africa go into their final match with very little to do when they meet Burundi on 6 July in Bujumbura.

The breakthrough came for Bafana in the 18th minute after great work from Steven Pienaar allowed Delron Buckley time and space to cross, with Bartlett nodding in his resultant pass for his 26th international goal for South Africa.

Bartlett went close ten minutes later, as Buckley's cross from the left found him in space at the far post, but his first-time shot flashed just wide.

But it was the Ivorians who scored next. In the 40th minute - just as the game went into something of a lull - Arendse failed to clear a free-kick in his box, punching the ball down for Bonavanture Kalou to scoop the ball home.

The result left Ivorians in tears

And the visitors should have been ahead just minutes later as some terrible South African defending allowed the Ivorians a shot from close range, but Arendse managed to pull off a truly remarkable point-blank save to keep the scores level.

Udinese striker Siyabonga Nomvete, back in action after 12 months out with a knee injury, replaced the ineffectual McCarthy at the break

South Africa thought they were back in front in the 51st minute when captain Old-John Mabizelo headed home, only for the linesman to raise his flag for offside.

The Bafana-Bafana were seeing all of the ball in the first 20 minutes of the second half, but were failing to create chances in front of goal.

The Ivorians seemed happy to sit back and soak up the pressure, knowing that a draw would seem them almost certain of a place at Tunisia 2004.