South Africa will be home to Angola in the next stages of the All Africa Games next January.

Amaglug-glug achieved that feat by narrowly beating Malawi 4-3 on penalties, after a 2-2 draw at a packed Silver Strikers Stadium in Lilongwe on Saturday.

The hosts failed to use their territorial advantage, something they said South Africa would pay dearly for, by not beating them in their first clash in South Africa last month, which ended in a 2-2 result.

The junior Flames did not only suffer their first defeat at home, but also failed to avenge the 3-1 defeat, which their senior team suffered against Bafana Bafana in Blantyrne two months ago.

The difference though was that the 60 000 who witnessed their heroes' drubbing by Bafana, reacted angrily when the South Africans scored their third goal, hurling a barrage of missiles onto the pitch. But the estimated 100 000 fans on Saturday behaved themselves very well, and in fact blamed their players for complacency.

Malawi, who needed a 1-1 draw to proceed to the next stages of the tournament, went 2-0 up with goals in the 5th and 57th minutes. Moses Chavula (penalty) and Robert Ngiambi were the scorers.

Amaglug-glug's shoulders went down after conceding the second goal, but coach Kenneth Kubheka gave his charges the perfect injection when he introduced Thabiso Malatsi for Tshepiso Mlaba in the second half.

The stylish Kaizer Chiefs midfielder created both goals which brought the stadium to a deafening silence. First, he fed Sithole to score the visitors opening goal in the 68th minute, and then looped the ball to Anele Zibi who headed in the equaliser on 88 minutes.

Namibian referee Mathew Kajinune, who penalised Vumile Dladla by awarding Malawi a penalty for an unintentional hand-ball in the fifth minute, blew his whistle after regulation time to take the game into a penalty shootout.

The South Africans scored all their four spot-kicks and their goalkeeper Jacob Mokhasi, saved two of the five taken by the hosts.

The hosts left the stadium with their tails between their legs, while the South Africans invaded the pitch and were congratulated for their victory.