Vuvuzela South Africa

Katlego Killer Mphela

Bafana Bafana vs Denmark today. The two sides meet in Atteridgeville today in what will be the last chance for the coaches of both sides – Carlos Alberto Parreira and Morten Olsen – to experiment ahead of next week’s kick-off.

After yesterday’s injuries to both Rio Ferdinand and Didier Drogba both Bafana Bafana and Denmark will have to walk the fine line between playing a hard game and not getting themselves injured.

Kickoff 11 June at Soccer City

South Africa open the 2010 World Cup against Mexico on June 11 at Soccer City in Johannesburg and will meet Uruguay and France in Group A, while Denmark is pooled in Group E alongside Holland, Cameroon and Japan.

Siyabonga Nomvete –  Need a Positive Result

Although Parreira says the performance is more important than the result against a Danish side 47 places above Bafana on the FIFA rankings, veteran striker Siyabonga Nomvete pinpoints the need for a victory. “This is our last warm-up and we cannot afford to finish with a negative result.”

Katlego Killer Mphela – It Will be a Tough One

According to fellow striker Katlego Mphela : “This is the last opportunity for Bafana to capture the hearts of all South Africans so we must go for the kill on Saturday.”

On  football 365.com Bafana Bafana striker “Killer” Mphela says that he is expecting the final World Cup warm-up opponents Denmark to pose a stern test to the host nation’s abilities just a week before the start of the finals.

“We are well aware that this is the last opportunity for us to win the hearts of all South Africans and we will go for the kill on Saturday,” the Mamelodi Sundowns striker said.

“The team is gelling and the most important thing for us ahead of the Word Cup is that we are able to keep possession and score.

“We expect a tough one against Denmark, who will also want to win to build more (momentum) in their camp.”

Denmark Lost First Warm-up 1-0 to Australia

What will make the South Africans feel a bit happier about this Bafana Bafana vs Denmark encounter is that Denmark lost their first warm-up in South Africa 1-0 to Australia last Tuesday in a match where both teams struggled with the altitude.

Coach Morten Olsen expects a big improvement from his attack today in Tshwane: “To come away with a positive result we must do much better in front of goal. We had a lot of possession against Australia, but that does not matter in football.”

Injured Danes

However, Olsen will have to make do without a few injured players, including Wolfsburg midfielder Thomas Kahlenberg, Feyenoord striker Jon Dahl Tomasson, goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen, defender Simon Kjaer and striker Nicklas Bendtner.

Park and Ride for Bafana Bafana vs Denmark Ticketholders

Bafana Bafana’s final preparation match against Denmark ahead of the World Cup has been sold out with fans attending the match on Saturday being offered free park and ride and park and walk services to the Lucas ‘Masterpieces’ Moripe stadium.  28,000 tickets were snapped up shortly after going on sale

Only fans with valid tickets will be able to use the service which will be in operation from 10am until 6pm and are located at the Tshwane Events Centre on Church Street and at the Ga-Mothakga Resort in Atteridgeville.

Image: Katlego Killer Mphela - football 365.com

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Bafana Bafana went looking for some Madiba Magic when they visited world icon Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg on Thursday (03 June) afternoon. It has almost become tradition for all South African national teams to visit Mandela before they participate in a big tournament.

We all remember Madiba in Zurich when FIFA President Sepp Blatter read the card that declared that South Africa has won the right to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup. That photo of Madiba holding the trophy to his face is one of the legendary pictures.

Number Four Jersey

During Bafana Bafana’s visit, the former President of South Africa was wearing a yellow team jersey with captain Aaron Mokoena’s number four on when he appeared with the players at his foundation in Johannesburg. The outing was to help inspire the team in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which starts in a week’s time – to give them a bit of Madiba Magic.

ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu said Mandela will make a rare public appearance at next week’s tournament opener, between the host and Mexico, and the July 11 final. The announcement came amid worries the 91-year-old icon would be too frail to attend South Africa’s biggest sporting event.

Pic: Tata Madiba and the Boyz. safa.net

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Wow, all the Bafana Bafana vs Denmark tickets are already sold out! This final international friendly in the South African National Team’s World Cup Campaign will take place on Saturday at the Super Stadium (Lucas “Masterpieces” Moripe Stadium) in Tshwane.

Kick off is at 14h15.

According to kickoff.com, Safa’s director of communications Morio Senyane has confirmed that the match between South Africa and Denmark is sold out.

Bafana Bafana Denmark in Tshwane

Bafana have already set the mood high ahead of the World Cup tournament that starts on 11 June, after hammering Guatamela 5-0 in an international friendly game played in Polokwane on Monday.

Denmark Lose to Socceroos

Bafana Bafana’s final World Cup warm-up opponents, Denmark lost their most recent friendly with Australia 1-0 in Roodepoort on Tuesday.

According to football365.co.za Denmark coach Morten Olsen added to the controversy surrounding the official World Cup ball, saying in a TV interview: “We played with an impossible ball and we need to get used to it.

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Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has announced his 23-man squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. South Africa will play Mexico at Soccer City in Johannesburg on 11 June.

After the training camps and fitness regimes and international friendlies, the coach has cut the Bafana Bafana squad to the regulation 23-man squad.

Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira Talks About Bafana Bafana

Coach praises all his players and said how sad he was to leave some of them behind, but FIFA has rules and they had to obey. He talked about the Vision the Boyz have – the vision of the World Cup. “Coach, make us proud”. He delivered the message to Bafana Bafana to make the people proud. He wanted the game in Soccer city. I love the Vuvuzelas. The vuvuzelas help us a lot. The vision of the Boys is to make this country proud.

Now is the time for competition. One more last game. Winning is important, but performance is very important too, Game against Denmark is important. Team has shape and they are ready for the competition. Last four games average three goals per game.

We have to respect everybody but we don’t have to fear anybody.

All of them deserve to be there.

Five that are left out:

Benni McCarthy

Rowen Fernandez

Bryce Moon

Innocent Mdledle

Franklin Cale

Final 23-Man Bafana Bafana squad

Goalkeepers: Itumeleng Khune (Kaizer Chiefs), Moeneeb Josephs (Orlando Pirates), Shu-Aib Walters (Maritzburg United)

Defenders: Matthew Booth, Siboniso Gaxa (both Mamelodi Sundowns), Bongani Khumalo (SuperSport United), Tsepo Masilela (Maccabi Haifa, Israel), Aaron Mokoena (Portsmouth, England), Anele Ngcongca (Racing Genk, Belgium), Siyabonga Sangweni (Golden Arrows), Lucas Thwala (Orlando Pirates)

Midfielders: Surprise Moriri (Mamelodi Sundowns), Lance Davids (Ajax Cape Town), Kagisho Dikgacoi (Fulham, England), Teko Modise (Orlando Pirates), Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Siphiwe Tshabalala (both Kaizer Chiefs), Thanduyise Khuboni (Golden Arrows), Steven Pienaar (Everton, England), Macbeth Sibaya (Rubin Kazan, Russia)

Strikers: Katlego Mphela (Mamelodi Sundowns), Siyabonga Nomvete (Moroka Swallows), Bernard Parker (FC Twente, Netherlands)

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Bafana Bafana Celebrate Goal in Polokwane.

Bafana Bafana vs Guatemala turned in to a triumph last night in Polokwane for the home team when record were broken – Bafana skipper Aaron Mokoena wore a special jersey to celebrate his 100th cap as the Boyz slotted five goals into the net.

Bafana 5 – Guatemalo 0

Bafana 5 – Guatemala 0 was the final score. A brace from Katlego Mphela and one apiece from Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Surprise Moriri and Bernard Parker led South Africa to a record-breaking win.

Steven Pienaar, Letsholonyane and Teko Modise worked well in midfield in the first half.

Second Half Changes

A number of changes after the break by both coaches looked likely to slow the tempo of the game down in the second period. However, they had an opposite effect as Bafana picked up where they had left off. Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira made three changes in the break with Macbeth Sibaye on for Letsholonyane, Bryce Moon replacing Anele Ngcongca and Surprise Moriri coming on for Teko Modise.

One of those substitutes, Surprise Moriri, made an instant impact, scoring just three minutes after coming on. The Mamelodi Sundowns forward made it 3-0 by slotting home unchallenged in the centre of the box after being fed by Mphela.

Bernard Parker – Spectacular Goal

The most spectacular goal in this Bafana Bafana vs Guatemala tussle came from second half substitute and Confederations cup hero Bernard Parker, who picked up the ball on the sideline, beat two defenders and hit a shot from 25-yards across the goalkeeper and into the top corner.

The 63rd minute saw the introduction of Mathew Booth to thunderous shouts of “Boooooth” from the exuberant Polokwane crowd.

Steven Pienaar, who was impressive throughout, came inches from scoring in the 72nd minute with a fantastic free-kick that hit the top-corner of the cross-bar and upright.

Goalkeeper Moeneeb Josephs

Bafana Stopper Moeneeb Josephs certainly put up his hand to be the team’s number one goalkeeper with an impressive performance and a magnificent save of a penalty from captain Guillermo Ramires after the inconsistent ref got it wrong.

Image: Bafana Bafana Celebrate. siyagobhoza

Coach Calros Alberto Parreira Will announce the 23-man Bafana Bafana Squad on TV1 this morning.

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