In the international friendly match held on September 12, 2023, between South Africa and the DR Congo, South Africa emerged victoriously with a score of 1-0, solely determined during the first half of the game. This result emphasized the importance of early momentum in a match, as South Africa managed to maintain their lead despite picking up significantly more yellow cards than their opponent.

South Africa’s only goal came relatively early in the first half at the 26-minute mark. Such an early lead undoubtedly allowed them to dictate the tempo and envisioned game strategy for the remainder of the game. However, South Africa also accumulated four yellow cards throughout the game compared to the DR Congo's single yellow card. This tally may suggest a more aggressive, and at times, reckless, style of play, which could have potentially put the team at a disadvantage.

Interestingly, South Africa seemed to struggle slightly with frustrating offsides, with a total of 3 compared to DR Congo's 2. However, this did not evidently hinder their performance, suggesting that they were better able to generate effective attacking positions, albeit they sometimes overstepped their boundary.

As for corner kicks, DR Congo had a slight edge with 7 compared to South Africa's 6. While more corner kicks usually offer more scoring opportunities, it clearly did not materialize for DR Congo. This might suggest some shortcomings in their set-piece executions or a robust defence line from South Africa that prevented such opportunities from becoming goals.

Despite the at-times aggressive and pressuring gameplay, the match was evenly contested without any red cards on either side. This implies that while aggression was high, it did not escalate to the point of any dismissals, indicative of a competitive yet controlled environment shaped by both teams' discipline on the field.

In conclusion, South Africa’s early goal seemed to have a significant impact on the match outcome, and their ability to maneuver the game to their advantage, despite their yellow card tally, was a crucial part of their victory. Although DR Congo had more corner kicks, the inability to convert those into goals undoubtedly affected their performance. Aggression levels remained high but controlled, signifying a highly competitive environment reflective of international friendlies. As is clear, the South African team's ability to manage the game dynamics and their defense line resulted in their ultimate victory.

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