South Africa recorded a fourth straight win with a pulsating 3-2 victory over Cameroon in a Nelson Mandela Challenge match at Olympia Park on Wednesday night.

The home side raced into a 2-0 lead after a double strike from the excellent Teko Modise, but were then penned back by goals from Ngom Kome and Somen Tehoi. The prolific Bernard Parker gave the home side the win with eight minutes remaining, however.

Bafana could even afford to miss a late penalty as Modise saw his effort saved by goalkeeper Carlos Kameni. It would have been the first time a South African player had scored three since Benni McCarthy netted four against Namibia at the 1998 Africa Cup of Nations.

Bafana lined up with the same side that beat Ghana in Bloemfontein on October 15, bar goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune replacing Bryan Baloyi.

And they were ahead after just six minutes thanks to a thunderous drive from Modise. Matthew Booth released Siphiwe Tshabalala down the left and although the Kaizer Chiefs man was dispossessed, the poor clearance found Modise on the edge of the area and he hit the ball first-time past a helpless Kameni in the visitors' goal.

Modise made it 2-0 on 23 minutes after an attempted one-two fell kindly for him with a clear run on goal. The Orlando Pirates man showed great composure as he steamed into the area and placed the ball past Kameni.

But the two-goal advantage lased just four minutes as the excellent Kome hit back with a direct free-kick from 25-yards.

Kome was causing all sorts of problems for the home side and he went close with a header at the back post that looked to have Khune beaten, but found the side-netting rather than the goal.

But it was a warning to Bafana about the visitors' aerial presence and after Modise had again gone close with a 30-yarder that Kameni was forced to save, Somen Tehoi rose highest from Kome's left-sided free-kick to head Cameroon level.

The physical nature of the Cameroonians game finally took its toll as Siyabonga Nkosi was forced to leave the field after a stamp off the ball and was replaced by Parker on 39 minutes.

The frustration of the South Africans was evident and Benni McCarthy received a yellow card for dissent from referee Cornelius Mwanza when he complained about the foul count mounting against the away side.

Katlego Mphela replaced McCarthy at halftime as Macbeth Sibaya forced a good low save from Kameni in the opening seconds of the second period.

Mpehla should have done better on 49 minutes when he failed to meet Tshabalala's corner at the near-post. And just minutes later, brilliant work down the left from Tshabalala again found Mphela, but this time the striker's shot was straight at Kameni.

The industrious Tshabalala then warmed the palms of Kameni from 30-yards but the keeper saved comfortably.

Cameroon brought on Achille Webo for Albert Meyoung on 52 minutes and Khune had to make a smart save from the new man straight away as his near-post header looked goal-bound.

The visitors made a second change on 58 minutes as Guy Stephane replaced Jean Makoun.

Augustine Gilles received a yellow card on 61 minutes for dissent, but Modise could not make good use of the free-kick that had originated from the foul just seconds earlier.

Cameroon made a third change when they brought on Frank Songo'o for Somen Tehoi on 73 minutes, while the unlucky Mphela was forced off the field with a head injury at the same time to be replaced by Thulasizwe Mbuyane.

Parker scored the winner on 82 minutes after Mbuyane's shot was only parried away by Kameni, capitalising on his own good work in creating the initial opportunity for the Pirates man with some strong play to hold off two defenders.

Bafana made a final change on 84 minutes when Kagiso Dikgacoi replaced Sibaya.

Modise then missed a late penalty after he was brought down in the area himself, but Kameni saved his spot-kick to miss out on what would have been a treasured hat-trick.