/ 8 October 2004

A game we have to win

The time has come for the Bafana Bafana players to show the nation what they’re made of.

The team needs to produce some winning performances to ensure qualification for the 2006 World Cup and African Cup of Nations. This must start on Sunday with the crucial qualifier against Uganda in Kampala.

The importance of this match cannot be overemphasised as a loss would take South Africa’s qualification for the tournaments in Germany and Egypt out of their hands.

As things stand, Bafana Bafana are already playing with one eye on other results in the group after 3-0 and 1-0 away losses to Ghana and the Democratic Republic of Congo respectively.

At the moment South Africa lie fourth in the six-team group, with just six points to show from their first four matches.

Uganda are bottom of the log, but their four points have come from a draw with Ghana and a win over Congo — teams that have accounted for Bafana Bafana previously in this campaign.

Victory in Kampala, however, would improve the picture beyond measure. It could even mean — if other results go their way — that Bafana Bafana get to the halfway stage leading the group.

A win would also ease the pressure on coach Stuart Baxter and assure the fans that there is no need to start pressing panic buttons.

After this match there is a five-month break before the qualifying process continues with the home game against the Ugandans.

The good news for Baxter is that he could not have asked for a better squad than the one he is taking to Kampala. The return of Quinton Fortune and Sibusiso Zuma from injury to join the likes of Steven Pienaar, Benedict Vilakazi, Tyrene Arendse and Delron Buckley in the midfield looks like an embarrassment of riches.

Improvement is needed from strikers Siyabonga Nomvete and Benni McCarthy, who have yet to score a goal in this round of matches that serve as qualifiers for both the World Cup and Nations Cup.

Fans will be hoping that McCarthy and Arendse in particular, who have been scoring freely for their clubs — FC Porto and Orlando Pirates, repectively — don’t leave their shooting boots behind this time. But goalscoring should not be left to the strikers alone, and it is time some of the midfielders came to the party.

The loss of Mbulelo Mabizela, owing to a suspension, and Neil Winstanley and Bradley Carnell through injuries should not worry Baxter, as he has ample replacements in the shape of Cyril Nzama, Peter Peterson and Siphiwe Mkhonza.