/ 28 November 2007

Bafana thrash Lesotho in training match

A makeshift Bafana Bafana side put five goals past a hapless Lesotho in a one-sided training match at the Germiston Stadium on Tuesday evening.

Ajax Cape Town striker Thembinkosi Fanteni led the way with a brace, while Orlando Pirates’ Lebohang Mokoena, Santos’ Thando Mngomeni and SuperSport United’s Katlego Mphela netted a goal each.

Ajax player Bryce Moon was replaced by Thabo Nthethe after 29 minutes due to a knock and two minutes later Pirates’ Excellent Walaza followed after picking up an injury too. Mphela took his place.

This was Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira’s final match for the year and the Brazilian will name his squad for the 2008 African Cup of Nations on Friday.

Despite the score, Parreira did not gloat about the victory at the press conference after the game. Instead, he again lamented the lack of games his team has played but admitted that some of the fringe players have added to his selection woes.

”Some of the players performed really well and it does make it a bit difficult for me to select a squad,” he said.

South Africa is guaranteed to play three games in next year’s African Cup of Nations but the coach said they need more game time.

”But we still need more games to get ready for the World Cup; we should at least play 10 games next year. There are about four or five official Fifa dates for games, there will be qualifiers starting late next year and hopefully between all this we can add in a few friendlies. — Sapa