1852: The referee blows for full-time and South Africa go top of Group D on goal difference. Benin performed with style and determination on their Nations Cup debut.

1851: Winstanley wins a booking as the match enters an unexpected fifth minute of injury time.

1848: Benin win a corner which comes to nothing.

1847: The assistant referee signals three minutes of injury time at the end of the match.

1845: The match is petering out as both sides play out the last few minutes of time. Benin appear to have lost hope of retrieving a clash that was once well within their grasp.

1839: Oketola and Baron clash as both contest a cross swung in with pace from the left by Adjamonsi. Play is held up as both players receive treatment.

1838: Neil Winstanley comes on for Molefe as the South Africa coach Phumo tinkers with his defence.

1836: South Africa are enjoying their most consistent period of the game, forcing a series of corners, one of which Nomvete volleys narrowly wide from outside the box.

1835: Substitution for Benin, with Kabirou Moussouro coming on to replace Gaspoz.

1833: GOAL South Africa 2-0 Benin
Nomvete doubles South Africa's lead as he neatly controls a long ball from deep to fire a crisp half-volley past Chitour from 12 yards out.

1831: After good work down the left, Zuma sets up Mayo whose well-hit drive from the edge of the box is hit straight at Chitour.

1830: Nomvete shows a neat burst of pace as he runs at the Benin defence down the left flank before firing over the bar from well outside the penalty area.

1828: The non-stop drumming and music continue as the match enters the final twenty minutes.

1826: Adjamonsi bursts down the left flank of the South African penalty area, but Baron gratefully collects the loose ball as it spills off a Bafana Bafana defender. The Squirrels have recovered their poise after the shock of conceding a goal when they were on top of the game.

1824: Latoundji flights a neat curling free-kick from the left-hand corner of the penalty area at goal but Baron is equal to the effort.

1823: Buckley sends in an arrowed cross that Nomvete fails to reach as keeper Chitour clears for Benin.

1822: Despite South Africa's lead, Bafana Bafana coach April 'Styles' Phumo looks nervy in the dug-out.

1819: Substitution for Benin, as Wassiou Oladikpikpo comes on for Ogunbiyi.

1816: GOAL South Africa 1-0 Benin
Siyabonga Nomvete makes up for his earlier misses as, just yards from goal, he heads home Mosheou's terrific delivery from a free-kick near the Benin penalty area. The goal comes against the run of play.

1814: Zuma hits his free-kick straight at the wall.

1812: Benin continue to force the play but concede a free-kick on the edge of their own box which gives South Africa an opportunity to register their first shot on target in the second half.

1809: The Squirrels continue to forage for their first ever goal in the Nations Cup finals but Gaspoz curls his 25-yard effort straight at Baron.

1808: Gaspoz becomes the first player to be booked in the match, seemingly for dissent.

1807: In the move of the match for Benin, Jonas Oketola plays a fine one-two but then volleys inches wide.

1805: Latoundji is teed up by striker Muri Ogunbiyi's incisive header but hits his left-shot strike from just six yards out against the bar with Baron beaten.

1802: South Africa get the second half underway.

1747: The referee blows for half time with the game still goalless.

1744: The assistant referee signals two minutes of injury time at the end of the first half.

1744: Nomvete hits a dreadful penalty that goes a metre wide of Chitour's right-hand post.

1743: Penalty is harshly awarded against Benin after Damien Chrysostome is adjudged to have fouled Sibusiso Zuma in the area. Yet the decision follows a bright one-two between Zuma and Nomvete which splits open the Benin defence.

1742: Moshoeu bends a free-kick at goal from the outside of the box but Chitour gathers, once again, at the second attempt.

1740: South African physios run onto the pitch to treat Delron Buckley after the South African is felled by a challenge from Tony Toklomety.

1736: Nomvete has the best chance of the match so far but thumps Mosheou's flick-on against the crossbar from just eight yards. The ball bounces down to the same player who then heads the rebound straight at Chitour.

1729: Chitour redeems himself instantly by diving low to his right to stop Jacob Lekgetho's strike from the edge of the box after the defender is teed up from the corner. Nomvete then hits the rebound over the bar.

1729: Chitour flaps at a deep South African cross to gift Bafana Bafana a corner.

1725: Benin wing-back Roumauld Bocco volleys a deep cross off target after bursting late into the box.

1722: Benin's Moussa Latoundji hits wildly over the bar from just outside the South African penalty area.

1721: As South Africa try to force an opening, Mayo half-volleys a long-range effort well wide of Chitour's left-hand post.

1720: South African midfielder Delron Buckley hits a tame 25-yard effort that Chitour gathers comfortably in the Benin goal.

1717: Benin striker Alain Gaspoz strikes from the left-hand edge of the six yard box and flashes the best chance of the match across the face of Emile Baron's goal.

1716: Some committed South African defending denies Benin on two occasions.

1715: Benin's Anicet Adjamonsi wins the Squirrels' first corner of the game.

1714: Neither team has yet to force an opening or have a shot in the opening quarter of an hour.

1711: Both sides are happy to knock the ball around at the back as they try to settle down. Benin are looking to surge forward at every occasion.

1708: Benin have acquitted themselves well in the first few minutes of their Cup of Nations debut and have not looked overawed.

1704: Supported by fans covered in green, yellow and red body paint, Benin launch an early attack that comes to nothing in the South African penalty area.

1703: Benin keeper Rachad Chitour gathers South African striker Patrick Mayo's cross at the second attempt.

1700: South Africa win an immediate corner.

1659 GMT: Benin get the game in Sfax underway.

Team news

South Africa line up with the 38-year-old midfielder John 'Shoes' Moshoeu in their ranks and have placed their faith in the strikeforce of Siyabonga Nomvete and Patrick Mayo. Defender Mbulelo Mabizela captains the side.

Benin take to the field with the tricky Moussa Latoundji in their ranks but there is no place in the starting line-up for 33-year-old striker Laurent D'Jaffo.

South Africa: 16-Emile Baron; 2-Thabang Molefe, 3-Jacob Lekgetho, 4-Aaron Mokoena, 7-Mbulelo Mabizela, 13-Benson Mhlongo, 19-John Moshoeu, 18-Delron Buckley, 15-Sibusiso Zuma, 14-Siyabonga Nomvete, 21-Patrick Mayo

Benin: 1-Rachad Chitou; 5-Damien Chrysostome, 8-Tony Toklomety, 15-Anicet Adjamonsi, 18-Seidath Tchomogo, 2-Moussa Latoundji, 6-Jonas Oketola, 7-Roumauld Bocco, 19-Jocelyn Ahoueya, 11-Muri Ogunbiyi, 14-Alain Gaspoz

Referee: Komlan Coulibaly (Mali)