Andrew Muchineripi Soccer
The match of the year in South Africa takes place at Ellis Park on Sunday evening with Bafana Bafana trying to avoid a third consecutive defeat while Brazil seek their 13th success in a row.
Both countries are using the friendly as a final warm-up for the Confederations Cup from December 12 with hosts Saudi Arabia, Australia, Czech Republic, Mexico, United Arab Emirates and Uruguay completing that line-up.
When a club versus country row erupted last week over Bafana Bafana captain Lucas Radebe, Leeds United manager George Graham said African nations play too many internationals.
What, one wonders, would he have made of Brazil then as the World Cup holders have already fulfilled 18 fixtures this year, with only six Copa America matches at various Bolivian venues truly competitive.
Bafana Bafana pale by comparison, having been in action nine times, including five World Cup qualifying ties. It is just as well there are no Brazilian stars at Elland Road!
The record of Brazil this year is simply awesome with 16 victories, one draw and a loss in Norway. Peru were hit for seven, Costa Rica five, and Poland, Chile, Mexico and Ecuador four each.
Ronaldo, Romario and company have found the net 55 times – an average of more than three goals a game – and for all those jocular remarks about Brazilian goalkeepers they have conceded 16, or less than one per match.
Opposition and venues have varied with France, Italy and England proving top-class rivals in the Tournoi de France, a French dress rehearsal for the 1998 World Cup finals.
The Copa America – the Latin equivalent of the African Nations Cup – has regularly eluded the Samba stars, but not this time as coach Mario Zagallo took a full- strength squad to the dizzy heights of Bolivia in mid-year.
Victories over Costa Rica, Mexico, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru and Bolivia brought the trophy back to Brazil and maintained a remarkable run of success on and off the field for Zagallo.
A member of the World Cup-winning teams of 1958 and 1962, he coached the Pele-inspired 1970 side that overwhelmed Italy 4-1 in the final and was assistant coach to Carlos Parreira three years ago when Brazil lifted the trophy a record fourth time.
When Parreira left for foreign fields and multimillion-dollar contracts, Zagallo took charge and has suffered defeat just twice – to Mexico in the 1996 Gold Cup final with a largely under-23 team and to Norway.
Brazil take their football so seriously that they refused to recognise the Mexican result as a senior international only to be overruled by world controlling body Fifa because it was the final of a recognised competition.
South Africa are no strangers to the South Americans and appeared on course for a sensational victory at FNB Stadium in April 1996 when opportunist goals from Philemon Masinga and Doctor Khumalo gave them a two- goal lead at halftime.
Just months after conquering Africa, Bafana Bafana had the Masters of the Universe on their knees, but the third goal that would surely have served as a knockout blow never arrived and Brazil clawed back to triumph 3-2 with a late Bebeto goal.
That squad consisted mainly of under-23 players preparing for the Atlanta Olympics, this time the full force of Brazilian strength is about to be unleashed on coach Clive Barker and his squad. Aldair, Bebeto, Denilson (at R170-million the most expensive player in the world), Dunga, Juninho, Leonardo, Rivaldo, Roberto Carlos, Romario, Ronaldo. If that is not a dream team, then what is?
Such is the wealth of talent available to Zagallo (a dazzling left winger in his heyday) that not all of the above are guaranteed places in the starting line-up at the home of the Gauteng Lions rugby team.
It must be of concern to Barker that three first-choice players, defenders Radebe and Mark Fish and midfielder Eric Tinkler, plan to play in the English Premiership on Saturday afternoon then rush for the last flight to Johannesburg.
Let us hope they have first-class tickets because 10 hours in “economy” is no way to prepare for 90 minutes against a team rated among the greatest produced by the most successful football nation in the world.
The match kicks off at the unusual hour of 7pm, tickets cost R40, a capacity crowd of 68 000 seems certain, and those who cannot reach Ellis Park can see all the action live on SABC 2.