FRIDAY, 8.00AM:
BAFANA BAFANA need to beat Saudi Arabia 2-0 to keep alive their World Cup chances after their draw against Denmark on Thursday night (see below). South Africa coach Philippe Troussier is confident the South Africans can beat the Saudis, who lost 4-0 to France on Thursday night. Denmark will have to lose 2-0 to France to let the South Africans through.
THURSDAY, 8.00PM:
BAFANA BAFANA failed to capitalise on their 52nd minute equaliser scored by wunderkind Benni McCarthy, drawing 1-1 with Denmark in their Group C World Cup soccer match in Toulouse.
Colombian referee John J Toro Rendon will need a new notebook, however, as he booked seven players and sent off three others, including Bafana debutante Alfred Phiri. Rendon’s handling of the match bordered on farcical, with the Danes playing with eight men for the last eight minutes.
The Scandinavians went into the lead in the 12th minute courtesy of Allen Nielsen, who volleyed past keeper Hans Vonk after a stunning cross from veteran Brian Laudrup. Laudrup was full of running throughout the match, and was the main thorn in the South Africans’ flesh.
After a first 20-minute blitzkrieg the Danes settled and Bafana found their feet, attacking the Danish goal with gusto, but to no avail.
The second half started for the South africans as it had for the Danes, with Benni McCarthy popping a shot through Danish keeper Peter Schmeichel’s legs after good interplay with Quinton Fortune. South African left-wing, Helman Mkhelele gave the Danes all sorts of problems, catching them napping on a number of occasions.
With the scores tied and the Danes down to eight men, the South Africans had the ideal chance to capitalise, but seemed to be content with the one point from the draw. Quinton Fortune did come close in the first minute of extra time with a tracer bullet from 10 metres out that left Schmeichel guessing and the cross bar quivering.
All in all, the South Africans produced a satisfactory performance in a match that, apart from the first 15 minutes of each half, seemed to lack direction and focus.
Bafana Bafana take home one point from Toulouse, and will play Saudi Arabia in their next match.
The South African Football Association is to invest R1-million in identifying and training at least four former top players or other suitable candidates to become possible national coaches.
Safa vice-president Irwin Khoza on Wednesday said that the plan will begin after the World Cup. The candidates will be based in Brazil or Germany for a year, where they will receive the best available training.