Kaizer Chiefs duo in the Bafana Bafana squad on Wednesday evening, midfielder Siphiwe Tshabalala and goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune, put up sterling performances as they helped South Africa to their first victory over a South American nation.

As they started the match and played their part in helping Bafana to an emphatic 3-0 win over Paraguay, a country ranked more than forty places above South Africa on the FIFA World rankings.

Khune, playing in his second match for the national team, kept a clean sheet which helped him achieve his objective of not conceding a goal against the South Americans, while Siphiwe Tshabalala rounded off a good all round showing by Bafana Bafana by scoring their third goal with a neat chip in the 63rd minute.

It was also a night where Amakhosi captain Shaun Bartlett saw two of the records that he held with the national team fall by the way side, as Benni McCarthy broke his goal scoring record and Aaron Mokoena equalled his national team record for the most appearances which stands at 74.

Tshabalala on the mark

Earning his 17th cap for Bafana Bafana, Siphiwe Tshabalala managed to score his first goal in national team colours. Tshabalala was one of South Africa’s star performers against Paraguay and his goal just past the hour mark, which saw him think quickly off the mark as he deftly chipped Paraguayan keeper Villar to put South Africa 3-0 nil up; added to earlier goals from Surprise Moriri in the first half and Benni McCarthy’s 47th minute strike.

Bartlett record falls

Amakhosi captain Shaun Bartlett, who retired from international football in 2005, was in attendance at the Super Stadium in Attridgeville, and witnessed two of the records he held during his ten year stint with the national team being broken and equalled against Paraguay.

Benni McCarthy scored his 30th goal for Bafana Bafana which meant that he over took Bartlett’s 29 goal tally for South Africa.

Aaron Mokoena equalled Bartlett’s record of 74 Caps when he lead South Africa out against Paraguayans. He could set a new record for the most appearances by a South African for the national team when Bafana Bafana are next in action against Nigeria in a 2010 Cup of Nations/ FIFA World Cup qualifier possibly to be staged in Lagos, towards the end of May.

Praise

Bartlett spoke to kaizerchiefs.com after the match and said that both Mokena and McCarthy deserved to hold the records that they do.

“With regards to Benni breaking the goal scoring record, there is some good in it as the record stays in Cape Town as we're both Capetonians. On a personal note I must add that I had many glorious years with national team and it was an honour to hold those records. Aaron Mokoena has been consistently playing for the national team in recent years and I believe he can still play another five or six more years at international level and that should see him go past the 100 appearance mark”.