Good evening and you're very welcome to our live text commentary of South Africa's Group C clash with Senegal in the Africa Cup of Nations. I'm Shane and I'll be taking you through everything that happens on the field tonight as Senegal look to take a massive step into the quarter-finals with victory.

Right, let's get cracking on some team news, shall we? I had a laptop malfunction there but we're alright now. Stay tuned for some team news!

SOUTH AFRICA XI: Mabokgwane, Ngcongca, Hlatshwayo, Mathoho, Matlaba, Phala, Furman, Jali, Manyisa, Vilakazi, Rantie

SENEGAL XI: Condoul; Gassama, M'Benque, Kara Mbodji, Sane, Gueye, N'Diaye, Diop, Mane, DIouf, Sow

SOUTH AFRICA SUBS: Keet; Nhlapo, Masango, Zungu, Ndululu, Letsholonyane, Sangweni, Khuzwayo, Parker, Zwane, Phungwayo

SENEGAL SUBS: Djilobodji, Kouyate, Cisse, Sane, Camara, Saivet, Konate, Toure, Badji, N'Doye, Gomis, Souare

Right, so I can tell you, despite winning their Group C curtain-raiser against Ghana, Senegal make no fewer than FIVE changes, with Gassama, M'Bengue, Mane, N'Diaye and Sow - who scored a late winner against the Ghanaians - coming into the fold.

There's only two for South Africa, who lost 3-1 to Algeria in their opener, as goalkeeper Darren Keet makes way for Mabokgwane in a surprise move, while Eric Mathoho replaces the injured Rivaldo Coetzee.

You have to be Steven Hawking to figure out the permutations of this group, and I'm no Steven Hawking - I'm the kinda guy who would struggle on a maths question that begins with "if John had six apples..."! But as it stands, Senegal, Ghana and Algeria are on three points and, while Senegal cannot qualify tonight, a win would make it very hard for them to be eliminated ahead of facing Ghana in their last Group C game.

Incidentally, Senegal are perhaps the biggest team I've ever seen. South Africa are up against 11 bouncers tonight.

KICKOFF: Aaaaaaaaaaaaand we're off. South Africa get us underway in east Equatorial Guinea. Let's go.

SHOT! 26 seconds in and South Africa fashion a half chance, as Vilakazi fires over the bar from Phala's low cross.

90 seconds in and South Africa defender Mathono is already on the deck clutching his head. We did say that Senegal look like bouncers so we should probably expect some physicality. Will they be saying "not tonight lads" at full time? Let's see.

Really good run by Southampton man Sadio Mane as he gallops through the heart of South Africa's midfield before attempting to thread a ball through for Diouf, but it's cut out.

It's a bit of a slow burner this. Apart from that shot within 26 seconds we've seen little to no goal-mouth action since. Still, the Algeria - Ghana game previously produced a miserable first half but it really livened up so, you know, reasons to be optimistic of course.

SHOT! Eat your heart out Barcelona. South Africa produce some very tidy one-touch football en route to fashioning a decent chance, as Rantie forces Coundoul to punch his effort over the bar.

That initial header came to nothing but they've got another now, as Manyisa swings a ball into the box, but that also comes to nothing unfortunately. Still, South Africa well on top so far.

South Africa need to be careful where they concede free kicks, because by the looks of things this Senegal team's average height is about 6'9 so they don't want to be giving them too many set-piece opportunities.

What a block from Sane, who throws his body on the line to thwart what might've been a goal from Vilakaze. It was fantastic build-up play from South Africa again. They're quite a decent side if this first 19 minutes is anything to go by.

Just a reminder that all four teams in this group - along with Ghana and Algeria - would be on three points heading into the final game if South Africa beat Senegal here! What a brain teaser that would be. That's not an unlikely scenario either, considering how well Bafana Bafana have started.

The recurring theme in this competition has been some pretty poor refereeing; it's as if aerial duels are not allowed, and the player who wins is automatically guilty of a foul. It's madness. Perhaps a strongly-worded letter to FIFA is in order? We'll write it together during half time.

Thulani Hlatshwayo is being stretchered off the field with a head injury unfortunately. It's unclear if he's going to stay off indefinitely, but he looked a little dazed, and concussion is quite serious so we might've seen the last of him.

SUB: Yep, Hlatshwayo is replaced by Ayanda Gcabo following that head injury. Let's hope we see him again in South Africa's next game.

It's a feisty one this, with South Africa players up in arms after Alfred N'Diaye went through Tokelo Rantie for a shortcut, with his studs showing. Not even booked! These can't be full-time referees, are they?

SHOT! This isn't far away at all, as Manyisa drills a free kick at goal but it's always rising and glides just over the bar. South Africa have enjoyed the better of the chances in this half but Senegal are always going to pose a serious danger from set pieces.

I've lost count at how many fouls there has been in this game. We're talking at least 15 and we're only 36 minutes in. It's a reflection on the referee more than it is a reflection on either team to be fair.

Yep, it's precisely 15. 11-4 to South Africa in the foul stakes. Incredible. There's just no fluency to the game whatsoever, and it's been like that in a lot of the games I've seen in the Africa Cup of Nations so far.

CHANCE! There's a touch of Arsenal about these South African players: they play some fine football but they're trying to pass it into the net. Jali gets on the end of a fine flowing move but, instead of striking inside the box, tried a disguised pass and Senegal cut it out. Fine build-up again but wow, why did he not shoot?

CLOSE! South Africa turning the screw for the last few minutes in this half, as Vilakazi lays a good ball off for left-back Matlaba who tries to side-foot past Coundoul at the near post, but his effort skims off the side-netting. They're a really good team this mob, but their end product leaves a little to be desired.

CHANCE! Oh what a good chance for Mame Biram Diouf to snatch a half-time lead. The Stoke man finds himself completely unmarked from a corner and looks to guide a header home, but he miscues and heads wide. Brilliant chance, and Senegal will take heart from that going into the break because, well, they've been completely outplayed.

So, like the Ghana game earlier, we're goalless at the break, but fear not because that game sparked into life eventually.

South Africa have been very impressive to be fair, despite a marked lack of end product from their heavy-hitters, while Senegal just haven't been great at all unfortunately. They had a chance right at the end of that half through Diouf, but he headed wide.

RESTART! Alright we're back in action in Mongomo and it's a huge 45 minutes. Just a reminder that if South Africa win, and they just might, then all four teams in Group C will be on three points heading into the last group game! What a prospect that would be.

What a fantastic start to this second half by Bafana Bafana! Thuso Phala's low cross deceives the entire Senegal defence as the ball runs to the unmarked Munyisa, who nonchalantly strokes home the opener beyond the helpless Coundoul. It's been deserved, too. They were by far the better team in the first half.

Just a word of caution, though: South Africa also took the lead in their Group C opener against Algeria, which they ended up losing 3-1. They'll be happy with that goal obviously, but at the same time they will grow very nervous as the game goes on if the scoreline hasn't changed.

Mame Biram Diouf is furious with his Senegal teammates as he busts a gut to get away from his marker before flashing a really good ball across the face of Bafana's goal, but nobody's there to poke home. Better from Senegal, though.

OFFSIDE GOAL! Senegal have the ball in the net and it's offside, but it shouldn't have been as Mane was in an onside position when he tapped home after Mabokgwane fumbled a routine catch. Poor decision, but I'm not entirely surprised because the officials at this competition aren't what you expect.

We mentioned that Senegal were like bouncers before the game, and finally they make their size count as Mbodji leaps ridiculously high from a corner and thumped a header beyond Mabokgwane. What a brilliant header.

Didn't I tell you that a goalless half-time draw means nothing in this competition? For some reason, slow burners always come to life in the Africa Cup of Nations. There's another 25 minutes left, too, so further drama cannot be ruled out.

South Africa have a chance to level up again through a free kick just outside the box, but Manyisa curls well over the bar.

SUB: First roll of the dice for South Africa as Phala makes way for Bernard Parker. Number 18 for 17.

CHANCE! Senegal, for the first time in the game, are really on top now and Moussa Sow spurns a decent chance to fire them ahead; latching on to Diop's through ball but, under pressure from Mathono, executes an air-kick at the crucial moment.

SHOT! South Africa abandon their pursuit of the perfect goal for the moment as captain Dean Furman ventures forward and fires well wide from about 30 yards. Not his best effort.

WHAT A BLOCK! Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant from Cheikh Mbengue, as Rantie turns his marker inside out and looks certain to stroke South Africa into the lead from inside the box, but Mbengue slides in out of nowhere to thwart the danger. Well done big man.

YELLOW CARD! Dean Furman becomes the first man to be booked in this game, somehow, considering there has been far worse challenges than that. I said this before, but poor refereeing really detracts from the whole game. This fella makes you appreciate Premier League referees.

SAVE! Good effort from Dame N'Doye, who strikes a ferocious shot at goal from about 25 yards, but Mabokgwane is equal to it. It was at a good height for him to be fair.

CHANCE! What a ridiculously good challenge to prevent what would've been a ridiculously good goal. It's fantastic interplay from South Africa again and Rantie looks like he just has to poke home from close range, but Gassama read the danger brilliantly and produced a fine tackle at the crucial moment to keep South Africa out. They've produced one or two of these last-ditch tackles now.

Right, we're into the last three minutes now and Senegal just about on top. It should be 1-1, but who knows what the last few minutes will throw up!

CHANCE! Oh no what a chance this is for Senegal, and it's a set-piece again as goalscorer Mbodji looks like he's going to plant another header into the net, but, despite being completely free, never gets the right connection and it goes wide. That was the chance.

Aaaaaaaaaand that's it. We saw a brutal first half compensated for by a classy second half and it that's all we've got time for! Fair play to both teams, who did well to spark this to life because at one point it looked destined for a bore draw. Anyways, thanks for joining our live text commentary and we'll have Group D action for you tomorrow, where we''ll have Mali vs. Ivory Coast and Cameroon vs. Guinea. See you folks.