MICHAEL METELITS, Johannesburg | Wednesday 5.00pm.
IT can’t be easy to pick a side from any continent to face eleven stars from around the world, but Mandela XI coach Jomo Sono reckons he’s done it. His Mandela XI meet a Fifa World XI at Ellis Park on August 17.
Sono plans to treat the game even more seriously than a friendly. His mission is to show that African players can match the best in the world. To do so, he has gone outside South Africa’s borders, bringing in stars like Ghana’s Abedi Pele and Guinea’s Aboubacar “Titi” Camara.
Sono has also given some support to younger local players like Steve Lekoelea, who despite little international experience, Sono feels will play to the level of the game. He noted that playing in a match of such significance will boost the confidence of the younger players.
Another surprise inclusion is Kaizer Chiefs utility player Thabang Lebese, who has not been capped yet. “He has been consistent the past season and has shown fine form this year.” Sono wants to see how these players perform under pressure.
The nucleus of the Mandela XI comes from South Africa and Nigeria with Sono sticking to players like Benedict McCarthy, who he brought to the fore in the African Nations Cup Finals in Burkina Faso last year, Mark Fish of Bolton Wanderers and Leeds United and Bafana Bafana captain Lucas Radebe.
Six Nigerian players have been named, including Orlando Pirates goalkeeper William Okapara. There are five Ghanaians in the squad including Pele, Samuel Johnson and Osie Kuffour, while striker Kalusha Bwalya is surprisingly the only Zambian in the squad.
Sono said it is up to the South African Football Association to ensure participation by the other continental stars. Some of the Fifa XI have already confirmed their pariticipation, and the match looks close to coming off.
The game will be a farewell tribute to former President Nelson Mandela.
The squad is: Brian Baloyi, Lucas Radebe, Mark Fish, Phil Masinga, Benedict McCarthy, Quinton Fortune, Steve Lekoelea, Thabo Mngomeni, Patrick Mayo, Joel Masilela, Thabang Lebese, Lovers Mohlala, Godfrey Sapula (all South Africa); William Okpara, Nwanko Kanu, Celestine Babayaro, Austin Okocha, Taribo West, Tijani Babangida (all Nigeria); Osie Kuffour, Frank Amankwah, Adu Gyamfi, Samuel Johnson, Abedi Pele (all Ghana); Aboubarcar Titi Camara (Guinea), Nonda Shabani (Burundi), Donald-Olivier Sie (Ivory Coast), Said Chiba (Morocco), Roger Feutmba (Cameroon).