In-form Orlando Pirates players Joseph Makhanya and Phumudzo Manenzhe will walk a disciplinary plank and miss Saturday’s key Premier Soccer League game against Ajax Cape Town after accumulating three yellow cards. Makhanya, in particular, has been in scintillating form and his suspension comes at an untimely moment.

Never one to mince his words, multi-honoured Highlands, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates coach Joe Frickleton says even the celebrated Jose Mourinho could not save Bafana Bafana — or his own skin if he came to South Africa to coach the national team. The outspoken Scot says he is not intent on defending current Bafana coach Stuart Baxter either.

The ”Hand of God” may have nothing to do with it. But Premier Soccer League (PSL) CEO Trevor Phillips has more than a hand in the PSL’s initiative to bring Argentinian soccer icon Diego Maradona to South Africa as a special guest during a proposed international four-club tournament early in 2006.

Where to, Bafana Bafana? And where to, coach Stuart Baxter? These were the complex questions on the minds of most South African soccer followers on Sunday following the 2-2 draw against the Democratic Republic of Congo and the consequent qualification for the African Nations Cup tournament early next year.

Sibusiso Zuma laid the ghost of an eerie international goal drought to rest by scoring the goals that gave Bafana Bafana a 2-2 draw against the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) at Durban’s Absa Stadium on Saturday and a nervy, at times uneasy place in next year’s 16-team African Nations Cup finals in Egypt.

The soccer gods in Olympus, if indeed they exist on this lofty perch, on Wednesday appeared to provide a bitterly ironical twist to the much-debated appearance of Shaun Bartlett, Bafana Bafana’s most-capped player and top scorer, in the crunch African Nations Cup qualifier against the Democratic Republic of Congo on Saturday.

The withering sentence imposed on Kaizer Chiefs for the widespread violence of their supporters during the recent Supa8 Cup game against Bloemfontein Celtic at the FNB Stadium was on Tuesday diluted a step further. The arbitration hearing into the controversial affair waived the suspended sentence of two games that had been imposed on Chiefs.

The nucleus of Bafana Bafana’s top stars on Wednesday joined the squad in Durban for Saturday’s decisive African Nations Cup qualifier against the Democratic Republic of Congo as scheduled. ”Everything is running smoothly,” commented general manager Stanley ”Screamer” Tshabalala.

Like a pressure cooker suddenly reaching boiling point, Mamelodi Sundowns began to sizzle in the second half of a 4-0 Coca-Cola Cup victory against Lamontville Golden Arrows in Mamelodi on Saturday afternoon. In Cape Town, a goal in the 106th minute by Mfundo Shumana led Ajax Cape Town to victory over Bush Bucks.