Andrew Muchineripi soccer
If ever there was a tournament that is Bafana Bafana’s bte noire, it is the Confederation of Southern African Football Association (Cosafa) Cup. Not once has our national team reached the final of this tournament, let alone win it and the R500 000 or more that goes to the conquering country.
As the regional soccer and economic powerhouse and one-time winner of the African Cup of Nations, South Africa is the country everyone in the competition wants to beat.
It is rumoured that rival soccer federations even promise their players a special bonus for humbling the giant.
In the years of this competition’s existence, the boys have bent the knee to minnows Namibia (twice) and current champions Zimbabwe.
Our chances this year look as bleak as ever, with an under-strength Bafana many players who partici-pated in Italy on Wednesday have not made the trip south, and others are unavailable because of their teams’ Bob Save commitments having to travel to Mozambique to take on the Mambas.
The mamba is a dangerous snake, particularly in its own habitat, and our neighbours will be determined to avenge the 2-3 defeat in a 1995 friendly that was the only time yet the two teams have met.
Because all of the South African Football Association’s (Safa) top officials were living it up Italian style this week, under-20 team manager Sipho Nkumane has been in charge of the technical aspects of the squad. Bafana coach Carlos Queiroz, who could have given some sage advice about the conditions to be expected in Maputo as he was born in Mozambique, also decided he preferred to watch his established stars in action in Europe rather than look at Saturday’s hopefuls.
To be fair, Safa did try to get the game delayed for a week, but that would have conflicted with a World Cup qualifier against Zimbabwe a match this humble scribe submits is bigger than the Italy and Mozambique games combined.
Nkumane said: “The biggest hurdle the team will have to overcome is passing the first stage of the knockout competition.” No truer word was spoken.
n Sundowns will take on Chiefs in the semifinals of the Bob Save Super Bowl, reports Ntuthuko Maphumulo. Chiefs beat Bloemfontein Celtic 5-0 on Tuesday.
The other semifinal will see Santos take on Moroka Swallows, who put out Orlando Pirates 1-0.