There are no minnows in the Council of Southern African Football Association (Cosafa) regional tournament and this has been proved frequently to the South African national team.
Bafana Bafana have failed to reach the finals since this tournament’s inception in 1997 and if they intend to prove their superiority in African football, they will have to start with winning the Cosafa Cup.
New coach Shakes Mashaba says of Saturday’s semifinal against Swaziland: ”Our boys need to fold up their sleeves; we need to go and die there on the field against Swaziland.”
Bafana reached this stage by beating Madagascar in the quarterfinals in a penalty shootout (5-4), while Swaziland reached the semifinals by beating Zimbabwe (2-0). Malawi are waiting for the winners of this weekend’s match after ousting Zambia 1-0 in their semifinal.
The last time Bafana Bafana played against Swaziland was before the national team jetted out to the Far East for the World Cup. Bafana were beaten by the Swazi team, but this match was not recognised as an official friendly. Their only official match was a Cosafa quarterfinal in 2000, which Bafana won 2-0.
The game at the Peter Mokaba stadium in Polokwane is expected to be a cracker, as both teams have a point to prove. The Swazis want to show their previous result was no fluke, while Bafana Bafana need a win to get Mashaba’s reign off to a good start. On paper South Africa should walk it, but on the pitch it could be a whole different game.
The Bafana players assembled for this crucial encounter are looking to carry the baton from the old era to the new. In goal Andre Arendse should keep the number-one jersey, with Brian Baloyi on the bench after a long absence from the team.
In defence newcomer Gary McNab of Moroka Swallows should line up with Cyril Nzama, Mbulelo Mabizela, Tony Coyle and Matthew Booth — with the last-named being in contention for the captaincy.
From the midfield to the strikers there is a glimpse of the under-23 connection, where Mashaba had great success. In the middle of the park the likes of dribbling wizards Jabu Pule and Stanton Fredricks will be delivering crosses to the strikers.
Bennedict Vilakazi, Peter Khoabane and Clement Mazibuko will do the tackling.
The strike force looks deadlier on paper than the one that played in Korea/Japan. The Orlando Pirates striking partnership of Jimmy ”Gusheshe” Kauleza and Lesley ”Slow Poison” Manyathela is expected to score the goals. If they can repeat the deadly form they showed in the BP Top 8 against Moroka Swallows it could signal the beginning of new era for Bafana.
If this partnership does not yield the results expected, on the bench are Sisa Nombe and Jason Lakay.
The players to face Swaziland will want to ensure that they impress the coach so as to be kept in the squad for Bafana’s first African Nations qualifier against Côte d’Ivoire next month. That will not be their only motivation, because if they want any bonuses they will have to win as appearance fees have been scrapped. The Premier Soccer League (PSL) kicks off only this weekend, but the players chosen by Mashaba are in form as most of them have participated in either the Charity Cup or the Top 8.
Swaziland will be aware of some of the tactics to be used as the kingdom has several players currently playing in the PSL. Swaziland will be looking to Sibusiso Dlamini of Black Leopards and Dennis Masina of Supersport to inflict the damage.
Other Swazi players who ply their trade in South Africa are Bongani Masangane, Mfanzile Dlamini and Siza Dlamini. The odds are stacked against the tiny kingdom winning this game, and with them ranked 92 places behind South Africa coach Dumisa Mahlalela will have to inspire his team to great heights if they are to defeat Mashaba’s boys.