Vuvuzela South Africa

Siphiwe Tshabalala' (Shaba)

Bafana Bafana will face their biggest test under head coach Carlos Alberto Parreira when they host Bulgaria in an international friendly at the Orlando Stadium tonight. (Kick-off 8.35pm).

Even though Bulgaria lost 2-1 to Belgium on Wednesday, the “Tricolors” should provide South Africa with a tougher test than Thailand, who Bafana Bafana trashed Thailand 4-0 in Nelspruit last weekend. Bulgaria are ranked 39th in the world, compared with Bafana’s 90th.

Bafana Bafana Final 23-man Squad

Bafana Bafana players are also fighting for places in the final 23-man squad that Parreira will announce as per FIFA rules by June 1.

We do know that two of the 30 players are already out – Orlando Pirates midfield star Andile Jali and Israel-based defender Bevan Fransman. 20-year-old Jali flew to Florida in the United States for tests on a heart condition at the weekend. And Fransman will only be called in as a last resort.

Bafana Starting Line-up

Parreira will start the Bafana Bafana vs Bulgaria game at the Orlando Stadium tonight with –an all local side, in fact the side that slaughtered Thailand 4-0 in Nelspruit last weekend.( Coach Robson sort of blamed the vuvuzela for the defeat, lol)  In that match, played at Nelspruit at the Mbombela Stadium, the undoubted stars or the game were 25-year-old Siphiwe Tshabalala’ (Shaba) and Mamelodi Sundowns Striker Katlego Mphela (Killer).

Striker Katlego Mphela (Killer)

Orlando Stadium in Soweto

The Orlando Stadium is located in the township on the south-west outskirts of Johannesburg, Soweto. Orlando Stadium was the home of South African football during the apartheid era and hosted the first major rugby  match staged in the township Saturday when Pretoria based Blue Bulls defeated Canterbury Crusaders in a Super 14 semi-final.

Captain Aaron “Mbazo” Mokoena May Get a Run

Captain Aaron“Mbazo” Mokoena, who played in last weekend’s FA Cup final for Portsmouth, will probably get a run out in the second half against Bulgaria. 29 year old Mokoena is South Africa’s most experienced player with 97 caps, He has captained Bafana a record 54 times.

Bafana Bafana Foreign Based Players – Second Half

Parreira says he may test some of the 11 foreign-based professionals during the second half of a match that promises to test Bafana Bafana (The Boys).

It seems that CAP has decided that English-based midfielder Steven Pienaar who joined the camp at the weekend will get a rest because of his heavy playing schedule. He has also expressed that West Ham United striker Benni McCarthy, who is still not match fit, will also sit out this game.

Bulgaria Team

According to fifa.com Bulgaria, whose best World Cup showing was reaching the 1994 semi-finals, lost star Dimitar Berbatov this month when the 29-year-old Manchester United striker retired from international football. South African football followers are avid viewers of the English Premiership so the Bulgarian they will recognise instantly is Aston Villa midfielder Stilian Petrov.

Another midfield kingpin, Martin Petrov, is expected to shine having enjoyed a good season with fellow English Premiership giants Manchester City.  Ivan Petrov scored against Belgium and he and Valeri Bojinov are expected to lead the attack against Bafana although neither have prolific international goal scoring records.

Image: Siphiwe Tshabalala’ (Shaba) football365.co.za

Image: Striker Katlego Mphela soccerladuma.co.za

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The Coaches: Roger de Sa and Neil Tovey at Soccer City

With a sold-out 76 700 crowd, and the presence of president Jacob Zuma and Bafana Bafana, the opening of  Soccer City with this afternoon’ s Nedbank Cup Final between AmaZulu and Bidvest Wits is expected to be a heluva event.

But the question is – can AmaZulu beat Wits this afternoon in the first ever match at the revamped at Soccer City? (kickoff at 3pm) The game between Usuthu and the Clever Boys will be broadcast to over 22 million viewers worldwide.

Bafana Bafana at Soccer City

The presence of Bafana, less than three weeks before they play the opening World Cup match against Mexico at the same venue on June 11, will no doubt see the national team given a reception that will lift the roof of the awesome revamped stadium.
AmaZulu vs Wits – Even Match

AmaZulu is my hometown team, based at Moses Mabhida Stadium you are talking about, so I agree with Usuthu coach Neil Tovey that the boys can do it. I hope they just keep their discipline tight, having suffered a red card in each of their last three games, while two games ended in penalties.

Usuthu last brought home some silverware in 1992 and this could be the year that two Durban teams write their names into the history books of South African soccer – Golden Arrows have already taken one trophy this season (MTN8).

Even Match

All experts seem to agree that this Nedbank Cup Final is a very even match.

According to football365.com Wits coach Roger de Sa believes AmaZulu have the edge going into the final.
“Sure we have had an easier run-in, and that gives AmaZulu the edge. I do not have a problem with that. But it will be close,” he said.

“There was little to choose between the teams in the league. AmaZulu finished ninth and we ended 10th. We have not won a cup in 15 years and they have gone 18 years without a trophy, so there is nothing in it.

Nedbank Cup Final R6 million

The winning team of the Nedbank Cup Final today will pocket R6 million, but for the loyal Usuthu supporters it will be a joyous celebration after years of pain and defeat.

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SAFA CEO Leslie Sedibe

So there was a bit of confusion about the match venues for the remaining four  Bafana Bafana International friendlies, but South African Football Association (SAFA) CEO Leslie Sedibe stepped up and confirmed them all.

Bafana Bafana vs Bulgaria at Orlando Stadium

Sedibe said the match against Bulgaria , who arrive today, on Monday 24 May 2010 will be played at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto. Kick off is 20h35.

“We are very excited to present Bafana Bafana with such a formidable team, positioned 39 in the FIFA world rankings, it will be a very good test for both the players and the technical team; ” said Sedibe on the Safa website

Another friendly match, this time against the 34 ranked Columbia will be played on Thursday 27 May 2010 at Soccer City in Johannesburg. The visiting team will arrive on Monday 24 May and are eager to take on Bafana Bafana on home soil.

Tickets for both these matches will be available from Thursday 20 May 2010 at Computicket outlets country-wide as well as Shoprite Checkers stores at a cost of R40.00.

Bafana Bafana vs Denmark

SAFA has also confirmed a match on Saturday 05 June against Denmark.  And did I say SAFA announced that they would confirm the match venue? Well sorry, this venue  for the final international friendly before the World Cup will be confirmed in the next few days.

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Well there you have it.  Thailand coach, Bryan Robson is sort-of blaming the deafening noise of vuvuzelas for his team’s poor performance at the Mbombela Stadium on Sunday. Bafana Bafana Beat Thailand 4-0.

Fifa Ranking

Thailand is 105 on the Fifa World Ranking (South Africa is 90). I wonder what role the Vuvuzela noise played in that ranking? I mean, according to this, Bafana should have beaten Thailand – even if they played in a sound proof box.

After the match Robson, a former Manchester United player and England Captain, said that his team played better in the second half. He did remark that many of the Thai clubs didn’t want to release player for the international friendly and he also mentioned the long flight.

Vuvuzela- A Weapon in the World Cup

“I think with that noise South Africa could have an advantage in the World Cup,” Robson is quoted by Reuters. “If the atmosphere is like that in the World Cup it will raise the level of the players a little bit. If the supporters are behind them like that, it will be a big boost.”

“The coaches at the World Cup are definitely going to have to inform their players beforehand that they will have to communicate effectively with each other on the field,” added the former Manchester United player.

“It’s very difficult to get any message to the players from the bench. Coaches are going to have to make that known to their players.”

We Want it Louder and Louder Says CAP

According to Kickoff.com Bafana Bafana coach Carlos Alberto Parreira is not perturbed and has asked the fans to double their efforts and blow their vuvuzelas.

“We have to reinforce that advantage,” the Brazilian mentor said in response. “We want it louder and louder.”

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Bafana Right Back Gaxa gets the ball.

Bafana Bafana 4- Thailand 0. Katlego Mphela, Siphiwe Tshabalala and Bernard Parker wet the roof of the new Mbombela Stadium in memorable fashion in front of 30,000 yellow-and-green clad fans. Mphela score twice.

It was Bafana Bafana all the way in Nelspruit on Sunday at the Bafana Bafana vs Thailand game. OK, we know that Thailand didn’t field the strongest team, but every devoted Bafana fan could see that the boys are getting it right.; they are putting good moves together; they are moving forward and they are taking strong, targeted shots at goal.

Final Build Up to the World Cup

The main thing is that Bafana Bafana are building confidence. They are scoring; they can feel that the country is behind them – this is a great start to the final build-up to the World Cup.

Carlos Alberto Parreira named a solid XI for the Bafana Bafana vs Thailand game with Reneilwe Letsholonyane and Thanduyise Khuboni  in midfield. Mphela started up front with Surprise Moriri just behind while Teko Modise and Tshabalala took up positions on the respective flanks.

The first goal came when Siphiwe Tshabalala curled a free-kick through the wall and into the bottom corner to give Bafana Bafana the lead. Read about the game on football 365.

Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira - Big Improvement

“There were a lot of positives to be drawn from the match. I don’t care about the quality of the opponent,” he said at the post-match press conference after the first of five tune-up games on home soil before the World Cup opener against Mexico on June 11.

“It’s a big improvement. We are now in our final stage of preparations and we are looking for performance and results.

“Results build confidence and as for the performance, the players look more comfortable on the ball. We still need more penetration but I feel it is coming,” the Brazilian said.

“We now have stronger opponents coming and they will give us a more physical challenge. We are in the final build-up phase but this is a good start.”

Parreira said the game against Bulgaria, Colombia and Denmark would all be progressively tougher.

Bulgarian coach Stanimir Stoilov has announced his squad that will play Bafana at Soccer City on May 24.

Image:Bafana Right Back Gaxa. football 365

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