Bafana take on Scotland
Brad Morgan
20 August 2007
South Africa's national football team, Bafana Bafana, take on Scotland in an international friendly in Pittodrie, Aberdeen on Wednesday night, the first of four matches against higher-ranked opposition set up by coach Carlos Alberto Parreira as part of the team's preparation for the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
Parreira, since taking over as coach of South Africa, has stressed the importance of playing friendlies against stronger opponents. The Scots are ranked 22nd in the latest Fifa world rankings.
World rankings
Saudi Arabia, which SA face in September, are just three positions ahead of Bafana Bafana in the rankings. While, for the Saudis, it is an improvement of one place over their previous ranking, South Africa's 64th place is a drop of seven spots.
In October, Parreira takes his charges to Italy to face the world champions, currently ranked third in the world behind Brazil and Argentina. Then, in November,
SA faces the USA in the annual Nelson Mandela Challenge. The Americans hold down a world ranking of 14th.
Parreira, who has led Brazil, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia at the World Cup, has opted for the tried and tested for the Scotland game.
Familiar looking squad
There is a familiar look to the squad, but defender Nasief Morris and midfielder Elrio van Heerden were excluded because of injuries. Moroka Swallows' Bevan Fransman was named in place of Morris and Golden Arrows' Kagisho Dikgacoi was chosen to replace Van Heerden. Ajax Cape Town defender Brett Evans also earned a call up.
Questioned about the selections of Dikgacoi and Evans at the announcement of the squad, Parreira said: "They are in the squad because I see them as players of quality who have the potential to cement permanent places in the Bafana make-up. It's as simple as that."
The coach is focused on victory. It is an attitude that is
underscored by his selection of Arminia Bielefeld striker Sibusiso Zuma, who won't be available for the African Cup of Nations qualifier against Zambia in Cape Town early in September because of a suspension.
Form rewarded
Parreira has also rewarded in-form players by including Ajax Cape Town striker "Terror" Fanteni and Orlando Pirates' midfielder Teko Modise, who as recently as the 2005/06 season was playing in the Mvela Golden League for City Pillars, when he was voted the Player of the Season.
Giving some insight into his aims for the friendly internationals, Parreira said: "We obviously want to win every game that we can, but in these encounters it is more important to come up against teams of note who are likely to compete in the World Cup, learn from them, and adjust to the circumstances that will face us in 2010 beforehand, and not when it is too late."
Despite his focus on winning, Parreira has also said the results of South
Africa's friendlies are not the most important function of the matches.
Importance of the score
"Results are very important," he explained, "but we really should not be attaching too much importance to the score in these games.
"We should never be afraid when we play these games and I need the players to enjoy themselves. The bigger picture is that we are continuing with our rebuilding for the 2010 World Cup, and that is what these games are about."
The World Cup winning coach – with Brazil in 1994 – hopes the upcoming internationals will help him assess the strengths and weaknesses of his squad.
Scotland's selection
Scotland will not be at full strength, with the Scottish Football Association having allowed some of Glasgow Rangers' players to be rested because of the club's busy programme in the Scottish Premier League and the Uefa Champions League.
Nonetheless, there are three Rangers'
players in the Scotland squad, which remains a strong one.
Thirteen of the 22 players ply their trade in England. Five players from Rangers' arch-rivals, Celtic, have been included, with Barry Robson of Dundee United the only other inclusion outside of Scotland's two biggest clubs.
The match will serve the Scots as preparation for Euro 2008 qualifiers against Lithuania on 8 September and world number four France on 12 September.
SA SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Rowen Fernandez (Arminia Bielefeld, Germany), Calvin Marlin (Mamelodi Sundowns)
Defenders: Aaron Mokoena (Blackburn Rovers, England), Bradley Carnell (Karlsruhe, Germany), Cyril Nzama (Kaizer Chiefs), Vuyo Mere (Mamelodi Sundowns), Bevan Fransman (Moroka Swallows), Brett Evans (Ajax Cape Town)), Benson Mhlongo (Mamelodi Sundowns)
Midfielders: MacBeth Sibaya (Rubin Kazan, Russia), Kagisho Dikgacoi (Golden Arrows), Steven Pienaar (Everton, England), Dillon Sheppard (Mamelodi
Sundowns), Papi Zothwane (Golden Arrows), Surprise Moriri ( Mamelodi Sundowns), Siyabonga Nkosi (Arminia Bielefeld, Germany), Benedict Vilakazi (Aalborg, Denmark), Teko Modise (Orlando Pirates), Delron Buckley (Borussia Dortmund)
Strikers: Siyabonga Nomvete (Aarlborg, Denmark) Sibusiso Zuma (Arminia Bielefeld, Germany), Thembinkosi Fanteni ( Ajax Cape Town)
SCOTLAND SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Neil Alexander (Ipswich), Craig Gordon (Sunderland), David Marshall (Norwich), Allan McGregor (Rangers)
Defenders: Graham Alexander (Preston), Russell Anderson (Sunderland), Gary Caldwell (Celtic), Alan Hutton (Glasgow Rangers), Jay McEveley (Derby), Stephen McManus (Celtic), Steen Pressley (Celtic)
Midfielders: Scott Brown (Celtic), Darren Fletcher (Manchester United), Stephen Pearson (Derby), Barry Robson (Dundee United), Gary Teale (Derby)
Strikers: Craig Beattie (West Bromwich Albion), Kris Boyd (Rangers), James McFadden
(Everton), Shaun Maloney (Aston Villa), Kenny Miller (Celtic), Gary O’Connor (Birmingham)
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