South Africa beat Guatemala 5-0 on Monday as players seized their last chance to impress coach Carlos Alberto Parreira before the host nation's World Cup squad is announced.

Striker Katlego Mphela converted two penalties and Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Surprise Moriri and Bernard Parker also hit the back of the net at the Peter Mokaba Stadium to give Bafana Bafana a boost in the final run-in to the tournament.

"As a preparation game, technically this was not our best game but the attitude was very good," Parreira said. "I was pleased with the attitude and the scoring opportunities. We made five goals. This is good."

Guillermo Ramirez missed a second-half penalty for Guatemala when his spotkick was saved by Moeneeb Josephs.

Captain Aaron Mokoena became the first player to win 100 caps for South Africa and celebrated by wearing the number 100 on his shirt.

Parreira will cut his squad to a final 23 on Tuesday morning and five players will miss out on representing their country in a home World Cup.

"It's always very difficult," Parreira said. "I'm not in a very good mood today because some of the boys that have been with us for three months, given their best, have been very committed with a very good attitude... it's not easy for us to cut their dreams."

One player who is certain to make the Brazilian coach's final list is Mphela, who has now scored three goals in two friendlies - all of them penalties.

He put South Africa ahead in the 11th minute after referee Ibrahim Chaiba awarded the home side a fortunate penalty. Siphiwe Tshabalala's powerful left-foot shot hit Cabrea Gustavo's upper arm, and contact was clearly outside the penalty area.

Defender Lucas Thwala created the second goal for Letsholonyane and Moriri opened a 3-0 lead in the 48th minute - just three minutes after his entrance as a second-half substitute.

The Niger official awarded Guatemala a penalty two minutes later for a handball by Thwala, but Ramirez could not convert as Josephs dived low to his left.

The referee then gave a third spotkick, also for handball, when Kagisho Dikgacoi's shot struck the unfortunate Gustavo. Mphela sent the 56th minute chance into the bottom left corner.

Midfielder Steven Pienaar, who started at the new Peter Mokaba Stadium, curled a freekick against the post before substitute Parker thundered a left-foot shot across Guatemala substitute keeper Marvin Barrios and into the top left corner.

"I think the way the team is shaping, the coach is doing a really good job," Pienaar said. "We are all working really hard to get everything going... it's a massive improvement."

Mokoena said every one of his century of internationals was significant. "I've enjoyed every single moment of it," the Portsmouth player said.

Parreira has said the naming of South Africa's final World Cup squad will be one of his hardest tasks as an international coach.

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