Bafana to tackle world champions
Brad Morgan
4 July 2007
Since taking over as coach of Bafana Bafana, Carlos Alberto Parreira has stressed the importance of playing friendlies against stronger opponents. His wish has been granted, with the South African Football Association releasing a list of forthcoming friendlies that includes a match-up against 2006 World Cup winners Italy.
The match, to take place in Italy on October 17, will be another stepping stone on the way to the 2010 Fifa World Cup, which South Africa will be hosting.
Previous meeting
Bafana Bafana has faced Italy only once before, falling 1-0 to the Azzuri in Perugia in 2001. Vicenzo Montella netted for the home side, while Hans Vonk saved a penalty in an outstanding performance in the South African goal.
The Italians are currently ranked number one in the world, with a comfortable lead over second-ranked France. South Africa is slowly climbing its way up the standings, but is still way back in 57th
place.
Italy is sure to challenge South Africa's weakness when the two teams meet in October. Italian football is known for its outstanding defence; conversely, Bafana Bafana's strikers have struggled to capitalise on the chances the team has created. South Africa will have to improve its finishing to have any chance of beating the world champions.
Scottish challenge
Before Parreira's charges tackle Italy, they'll take on Scotland in Scotland on 22 August.
The Scots, in 23rd place, enjoy a far higher ranking than South Africa, but they did slip nine places in the latest Fifa rankings after two losses in their last three outings: 2-0 to Italy and 1-0 to Austria.
SA and Scotland have clashed once before, in 2002, with South Africa winning 2-0 against an experimental outfit in the four-nation Reunification Cup. Midfielder Teboho Mokoena netted just after the half hour to give Bafana the lead, and substitute George Koumantarakis
sealed the win with a 90th minute strike.
Nelson Mandela Challenge
The United States has, meanwhile, been tagged to face Bafana Bafana in the Nelson Mandela Challenge in South Africa on 17 November.
The image of the USA as a football backwater no longer exists. The country boasts a strong league, the Major League Soccer, and the national team has been ranked inside the Fifa top 20 for some time now.
The Americans will be another of the stronger opponents Parreira spoke about. Ranked 16th in the world, they're above Africa's best, Ghana, which is ranked 19th.
Bafana Bafana last met the USA seven years ago, and it is an outing South Africa would rather forget. On that occasion the Americans romped to a 4-0 victory, with Koby Jones netting a brace.
Possible Saudi Arabia clash
A further friendly is on the cards, but has yet to be confirmed. The SA Football Association (Safa) is looking at a match
against Saudi Arabia on 13 September.
Past fixtures between the Saudis and Bafana have produced one win, one loss and one draw for each team.
African Cup of Nations qualifier
Safa also announced that South Africa's final African Nations Cup qualifier, against Zambia on 8 or 9 September, will be played in Cape Town. The game will form part of the Confederation of African Football's 50th anniversary celebrations.
Thanks to a vastly superior goal difference, and a three-point advantage over the Zambians in the standings, South Africa is heavily favoured to qualify for the Nations Cup finals taking place in Ghana next year.
| 
