Cape Town - Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter has explained he used five at the back to ensure defensive solidity in Sunday's win over Libya.

Bafana defeated the Mediterranean Knights 2-1 in an Africa Cup of Nations Group E qualifier courtesy of a superb brace from Percy Tau.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Benali scored for the outfit from North Africa at the Stade Taieb Mhiri in Tunisia.

Tau opened the scoring before Benali levelled from the penalty spot. The diminutive former Mamelodi Sundowns star then produced another stunning strike as South Africa claimed the three points.

The result means the national team have advanced to the main AFCON competition which takes place in Egypt during June and July.

Baxter told reporters after the game: "We knew that we had to come here and play well. We had a game plan. [It was] Difficult to settle under the game plan because do you go flying in trying to get the winning goal or do you sit back?

"I went for a combination of both and the longer the game went the more I thought the players played well.

"I think the first 30 minutes it was with the crowd at their backs and a bit of nerves and anxiety from our part. We gave them a couple of balls that they should not really have got and they nearly got in. But I think after that the players were excellent.

"I thought the penalty was harsh and I thought the players showed incredible character to come back and get 2-1. We made a couple of substitutions to help us in our defending."