SOCCER: Andrew Muchineripi
South African soccer moves into the new year with one goal eclipsing all others ‘ qualification for the 1998 World Cup finals in France.
After comfortably disposing of Malawi in a preliminary tie, the African Nations Cup holders found Zaire a very different proposition in Johannesburg during November. The Leopards from Central Africa were unlucky losers to a late second-half goal from Philemon Masinga.
South Africa never discovered the rhythm which enabled them to conquer the continent this year, and even tougher battles lie ahead .
Zambia host Bafana Bafana in Lusaka on January 11, where victory for the visitors would give them an outstanding chance of joining defending champions Brazil, France and 29 other nations at the showcase of world soccer.
In April South Africa face two trips away within three weeks to confront Congo and a Zairean team which has vowed to gain revenge.
In June, Zambia come to Soccer City and August sees the arrival of Congo for a match which, hopefully, will produce a South African victory and a ticket to Charles de Gaulle airport.
Despite protests from some quarters for a massive injection of youth into an ageing national team, coach Clive Barker has little option but to retain faith with the tried and trusted.
Reaching France would complete two remarkable years for Barker, who took his team to the pinnacle of Africa at the first attempt even if success was diluted by the absence of defending champions Nigeria.
A comprehensive victory over Cameroon at a packed FNB Stadium set the Nations Cup alight and another win over Angola meant that defeat by Egypt in the final group match did not deprive the hosts of top spot in Group 1.
Algeria proved tough quarter-final opponents with “Shoes” Moshoeu snatching a late winner on a rain-drenched pitch before four-time champions Ghana were ripped apart at the penultimate stage.
Many consider this was our finest hour since returning from international isolation in 1992.
The final against Tunisia was an emotional affair as President Mandela, FW de Klerk and King Goodwill Zwelethini abandoned politics for a few hours and sat together in the VIP section.
They, and the rest of an 80 000-plus crowd crammed into Soccer City, endured some anxious early moments before Bafana Bafana took the initiative against a North African side feeling the effects of altitude before half-time.
As time ticked by there was always the fear that the Tunisians would snatch a goal on the counterattack and spoil the South African party.
Then came the masterstroke as Barker brought on Mark Williams, who took just nine minutes to become a national hero by scoring two quick goals.
Within 180 seconds, the final had been transformed from a tight, tense affair into a cruise as Tunisia lacked the strength and the stamina to respond.
While Barker has developed settled defensive and midfield units, who plays up front remains a headache, especially with the Sean Dundee saga ending in favour of Germany.
Dundee is a naturalborn predator, just the sort of player South Africa needs in arguably the toughest of the five World Cup qualifying groups, where goals are likely to be at a premium.
One ray of sunshine was the emergence of Jerry Sikhosana, late of Witbank Aces and now playing for Orlando Pirates. He set up the winner over Zaire with a “nutmeg” just outside the penalty area.
Sikhosana provided another highlight of the year by scoring a hat-trick in the Bob Save Super Bowl demolition of arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs in another match which filled FNB Stadium.
Pirates triumphed 4-1 and went on to lift the cup, and earn a place in the African Cup-winners Cup, by defeating Jomo Cosmos in a final settled by a late Andries Sebola goal.
Bush Bucks lifted the Coca-Cola Cup a record second time by overcoming QwaQwa Stars 1-0 in a replay through a goal from William Mugeyi, twin brother of the “Silver Fox”.
Chiefs won the Coca-Cola Challenge, a one-round league competition designed to fill the gap between the traditional February start of the season and the Premier Soccer League launch in August.
By the Christmas recess, Chiefs and Ma