South Africa will have to overcome a pumped-up home team and a hostile crowd in Kayes
Ntuthuko Maphumulo
Bafana Bafana re-established their place in African football and regained self-confidence after they out-thought, outmanoeuvred and out-fought the Moroccan team 3-1 in their final African Cup of Nations group match in Segou on Wednesday.
Now the South Africans take on hosts Mali and fanatical home supporters in Kayes in the quarterfinals.
Both teams performed well and had matching results in their group matches winning one game and drawing two.
Bafana will have to repeat what they did in the 2000 Nations Cup in Ghana when they knocked out the co-hosts in the quarterfinals, if they are to go through to the semifinals. Wednesday’s man-of-the-match Siyabonga Nomvete was the hero back then and there is little to suggest the diminutive striker cannot be the hero now.
For Mali reaching the quarterfinals is probably more than they expected, but now winning and going through to the semifinals would be the best gift they could give to the nation. It is a chance for the poverty-stricken nation to dream and, just for a while, for the people to forget about the problems they face.
Mali’s best result in the tournament so far is runner-up to Congo in 1972 in Cameroon. Thirty years ago Mali’s Fantamady Keita was the top scorer in the event with five goals.
The 2002 Mali team is a young side that will be going out to win despite inexperience, but the likes of Mamadou Bagayoko, Bassala Toure who have each scored a goal in this tournament so far Boubacar Diarra and captain Soumailia Coulibaly are expected to carry the burden of lifting the side to victory.
The Mali players are comfortable on the ball and always start their build up from the back. They also have great midfielders. Seydou Keita who scored a brilliant goal against Liberia in the opening match is a marvel to watch when he has the ball.
The coaching staff from both camps will have to prepare well for the encounter and whoever’s tactical knowledge is better will win the game.
This will be Bafana Bafana’s fourth consecutive appearance in the knock-out stages of the Nations Cup since the country was readmitted to world soccer in 1992.
The call from a certain section of supporters and coaches for South African coach Carlos Queiroz to be fired will have to be put on ice as the team showed more commitment and determination in their game against Morocco than in the other group games combined.
The hour had finally come and the man, Siyabonga Nomvete, came with it. Nomvete’s combination of predator and craftsman was shown at its best. The Italy-based player, who had come on for Delron Buckley, ignited the match with his superior passing and attacking movement, which resulted in a goal from Sibusiso Zuma in the last minutes of the first half.
Nomvete was provider again early in the second half when he latched on to the ball then crossed to the unmarked Thabo Mngomeni, who slotted into the net. Nomvete sealed his splendid performance with a goal put hard into the roof of the net.
For Bafana Bafana it was a repeat of the 1998 African Nations Cup, when they beat Morocco 2-1 in the quarterfinals.
But soon after the third goal South Africa became complacent and were punished for it when Zuma conceded a penalty, which was netted by Rachid Benmahmoud. Mbulelo “Old John” Mabizela’s habit of going on overlapping runs down the wing without tracking back burdened Zuma with defensive responsibilities that restricted the blond midfielder.
The Moroccans tried to make a comeback but could not penetrate the defence, with Hans Vonk pulling off some brilliant saves.
The North Africans rode a roller-coaster of emotions in the final minutes as news from the other group match came through. First Burkina Faso scored, putting the Burkinabe in the quarterfinals; then Ghana equalised, letting the Moroccans through; but Ghana’s 2-1 victory in the referee’s optional time meant the Ghanaians will take on their neighbours, Nigeria, on Sunday.
This was Morocco’s second last-minute blow in a space of four years. In the 1998 World Cup their 3-0 win over Scotland was not enough as Norway suprisingly beat Brazil in the same group to send the Africans home.
When to watch
Sunday , February 3: Quarter- final. South Africa vs Mali. Venue: Kayes. Time: 6pm on SABC1 and Supersport 3 (SS3) Quarterfinal. Nigeria vs Ghana. Venue: Bamako, March 26 stadium: Time: 9pm on SABC1 and SS3
Monday, February 4: Quarterfinal. Cameroon vs runner up group D (Egypt/Tunisia). Venue: Sikasso. Time: 6pm on SABC1 and SS3 Quarterfinal. Senegal vs Democratic Republic of Congo. Venue: Bamako, Modibo Keita stadium. Time: 9pm on SABC1 and SS3
Thursday, February 7: First semifinal. Time: 6pm on SABC1 SS3 Second semifinal: Time: 9pm on SS3