Andrew Muchineripi Soccer
National soccer coach Trott Moloto faces another no-win situation on Saturday in Gaborone where Botswana host Bafana Bafana in a Castle Cup Southern Africa championship first-round match.
Given the lowly stature of the home team, who lie 133 places behind their opponents on the world rankings, Moloto will be expected to return with a handsome victory.
The fact that another alleged whipping boy, Namibia, eliminated South Africa from the South African Breweries-sponsored competition last year is conveniently forgotten.
Bafana Bafana led twice in that match before succumbing to an extra-time golden goal from a blond called Berlin. It will be of some comfort to Moloto and his men that a similar situation cannot occur this weekend.
A draw after 90 minutes means a penalty shoot-out and, with memories of the Rothmans Cup final still vivid, dare this proud member of the Muchineripi clan suggest that the stars from Chiefs and Sundowns practice spot kicks.
It should not come to that anyway as South Africa, despite lacking most of their foreign-based professionals and calling up 10 uncapped players, should be capable of winning within regulation time. That is assuming the lessons of Mauritius have been thoroughly digested and that the return of John Moeti will bring some desperately needed steel to a midfield that flopped on the Indian Ocean island.
It was all bark and no bite with Joel Masilela, “Shoes” Moshoeu, Thabo Mngomeni, Quinton Fortune and Bradley Carnell displaying little appetite for tackling or covering.
The Mauritian equaliser stemmed from nothing more complicated than laziness. As Desire Periatambee pushed forward from midfield, not one South African midfielder bothered to shadow him. There was a sense of dj vu when a cross from the right was headed back into the path of Periatambee and the French-based midfielder unleashed a low shot laced with pace that flew into the net off the hand of Hans Vonk.
Similar bad habits in Gaborone will inevitably be punished, so Moloto must choose a combination that offers not only skill, but steel. The problem once again could be a lack of aggression in the middle of the pitch.
Steve Lekoelea, Ace Gulwa, Thabo Mngomeni, Delron Buckley, McDonald Mukansi and Alfred Phiri are attack-minded midfielders, leaving Moeti, Godfrey Sapula and Jethro “Lovers” Mohlala to produce the beef.
Mohlala from Castle Premiership leaders Sundowns was a late addition to the squad after Kaizer Chiefs striker Siyabonga Nomvete did not recover from an injury sustained against Orlando Pirates last Saturday.
It could prove a blessing in disguise because Mohlala offers more balance to a team already possessing three proven scorers in Keryn Jordan, Pollen Ndlanya and Sibusiso Zuma.
What these strikers need is a good supply and to achieve this, Bafana must include ball winners as well as ball players. Sapula could be the answer as he comes from Jomo Cosmos, a team never lacking in bravery.
I once abandoned my traditional seat on the stand opposite the press box to observe Cosmos at close quarters and left much impressed at the timing and commitment in the tackle of men like Sapula.
Gulwa comes from Bloemfontein Celtic with a reputation as big as the Free State, but he is a playmaker, a Shoes Moshoeu or Doctor Khumalo of old, a footballer capable of goal- making passes rather than goal-saving tackles.
Time and time again we have witnessed at domestic and international level the value of a good cross and one hopes there will be far more of them in Gaborone than in Curepipe.
The starting line-up will be of greater interest than usual, given the number of new faces and the bravery that flows through the Muchineripi veins dictates that I gaze into the crystal ball and select a possible team.
Goalkeeper: Brian Baloyi. Defenders: Aaron Mokoena, Themba Mnguni, Matthew Booth. Midfielders: Steve Lekoelea, Alfred Phiri, John Moeti, Delron Buckley, McDonald Mukansi. Strikers: Pollen Ndlanya, Sibusiso Zuma. I nominate Mokoena and Booth ahead of the even more inexperienced Fabian McCarthy and Michael Manzini because they have developed an understanding while marshalling the Olympic team defence.
Moloto admires Lekoelea, Moeti is indispensable, Phiri, Buckley and Mukansi have hardly been brought from Europe to sit on the bench and Ndlanya and Zuma are the obvious first-choice strike force.