AFRICAN CUP OF NATIONS
Africa Cup: everything to play for
Zolile Mtshelwane
23 January 2004
South Africa's national soccer squad, Bafana Bafana, kick off their African Cup of Nations campaign on a positive note following the appointment of the popular Roger de Sa as assistant coach. Bafana tackle Benin in Tunisia on Tuesday.
De Sa, the youthful Wits University coach, was roped in by the SA Football Association (Safa) to assist stand-in coach Styles Phumo for the duration of the 16-nation continental tournament.
De Sa, who has transformed Wits University into an enterprising football unit in the Premier Soccer League, was the recipient of last season's PSL Coach of the Year award.
The tournament kicks off on Saturday, 24 January with hosts Tunisia up against Cup newcomers Rwanda, and ends on 14 February.
Experienced campaigners
Phumo's 22-man squad consists of some experienced campaigners, both locally and internationally, and the squad has an equal number of locally based players and
overseas campaigners.
Andre Arendse, the first choice goalkeeper, and veteran midfielder John "Shoes" Moshoeu, were in Clive Barker's squad of 1996 that lifted the African Nations Cup in Johannesburg by beating Tunisia.
Arendse has proved to be a dependable last line of defence. Despite his age (36), he is still agile and always makes the right saves and timely interventions when the defence has been caught off guard.
Phumo has at his disposal a group of defenders that can withstand an onslaught from the most aggressive opponents. Although erratic at times, and wont to lose concentration at crucial moments, Mbulelo Mabizela and Aaron Mokoena have marshalled Bafana's defence with the resilience of top-class defenders.
On his day, "Shoes" can make a crucial difference to his team's performance, and South African fans will be hoping he can use his skill, perceptive ball distribution ability and experience to tear apart defenders and unleash the speedy
Siyabonga Nomvete or set up the wily Patrick Mayo.
Phumo is actually spoilt for choice in midfield, where he has has workhorse Delron Buckley, the nifty Jabu Pule and the skilful Stanton Fredericks, all of whom are comfortable on the wings.
The three other midfielders, Benson Mhlongo, Teboho Mokoena and Bennet Mnguni, are more at ease operating in the middle of the park.
Coach's big test
The strike force of Nomvete, Mayo, Nkosinathi Nhleko and Sibusiso Zuma can only be effective when the midfield keeps them supplied and offers the necessary support.
Phumo has hopefully worked out a combination that will perform better than in the two games against Mauritius and Senegal in which he was in charge. The big test for Phumo is to devise a game plan that will address the weaknesses in the team's coherence.
The four matches that Bafana have played in preparation for this tournament have turned into a nightmare that every one
wants to forget. The debacle surrounding former coach Shakes Mashaba has also not helped matters.
Bafana's first game against Benin, however, will be an indication of their performance in the group stages, and indeed in the entire tournament. South Africa and Benin seem to be the weakest teams in a group that also includes Morocco and Nigeria.
Bafana and Benin have never played against each other at any level. At least for Phumo and De Sa, Benin are a "closed book", which makes their planning rather tricky. Benin will be hoping to gain the three points from Bafana, based on the premise that the goings-on around the coach and poor recent results have demoralised the squad.
But hopefully "The Boys" know that the country's football pride is at stake - and that nothing short of a win against Benin will satisfy their disgruntled fans, or give them any chance of proceeding beyond the group stage of the tournament. Bafana need to rise above their recent slump and make South
Africa proud again.
The squad:
Goalkeepers:
Andre Arendse, Emile Baron, Wayne Roberts.
Defenders:
Tony Coyle, David Kannemeyer, Jacob Lekgetho, Mbulelo Mabizela, Aaron Mokoena, Thabang Molefe, Neil Winstanley.
Midfielders:
Delron Buckley, Stanton Fredericks, Benson Mhlongo, Bennet Mnguni, John Moshoeu, Jabu Pule, Macbeth Sibaya, Teboho Mokoena.
Strikers:
Patrick Mayo, Siyabonga Nomvete, Nkosinathi Nhleko, Sibusiso Zuma.
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