TUESDAY, 12.30PM:
THE SA under-23 squad’s chances of winning their return match against Norway suffered a setback on Monday when coach Mich D’Avray learnt that his lethal striker Quinton Fortune will not be available because of an injury. Fortune suffered an injury while playing for his Spanish first division side Athletico Madrid last week.
Wits University playmaker Stanton Fredericks was immediately roped in to replace Fortune. ”Quinton is the key man in my team and to go to such a match without him is a serious setback,” said D’Avray. ”But in Stanton I have an able player who should have no problem in filling the role of playmaker. I’m sure he’ll prove a perfect replacement.”
D’Avray said he will now rely on Ajax Amsterdam’s goalpoacher Benedict McCarthy and Bloemfontein Celtic midfielder Henry ”Ace” Gulwa to do the job.
SPORT BRIEFS
LOCALS ADVANCE SOUTH AFRICA’S Marcus Ondruska and Grant Stafford on Monday advanced to the second round of the Heineken Open tennis tournament in Singapore. Ondruska ousted Italian Renzo Furlan by beating him 6-3 7-6 (7-4) while Stafford knocked out American Richey Reneberg 6-2 2-6 7-6 (7-4). Stafford will meet Sweden’s Mikael Tillstrom and Ondruska will play the winner between American Alex O’Brien and Swede Thomas Johansson in the second round.
KHUSE BACK FORMER Bafana Bafana and Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Donald ”Ace” Khuse is likely to rejoin Chiefs — the last club he played for before moving to Turkey four seasons ago. Khuse’s contract with his Turkish first division outfit Antalyspor expired in July.
TRANSPLANT MEDALS SOUTH AFRICA won five gold medals, two silvers and six bronzes at the World Transplant Games which ended in Sydney on Sunday. Jan Jacobs (heart transplant) set a new veterans men’s shot put world record of 12,42m and won a gold medal. Attie Kok (kidney transplant) won two gold medals in 800m and 400m.
WORLD CUP FOR SA SOUTH AFRICA will host the Indoor Cricket World Cup in 2000, announced the president of the World Indoor Cricket Federation, Ross Collins, on Monday.
LOCAL WINS IN BELGIUM SOUTH AFRICA’S Peter Huwele clocked 2 hours 15 minutes and 45 seconds to win the Belgian marathon in Gent on Sunday. Huwele, 29, was invited to attend the marathon after winning the 1997 Knysna Forest marathon in July.
MURAPE TO ROVERS FORMER Moroka Swallows coach Shepard Murape, who quit as the ”Birds” coach on Sunday, confimed that he has rejoined Real Rovers. ”I had a meeting with the Rovers directors and I have accepted their offer, which was quite reasonable,” said Murape.