Vuvuzela South Africa

As Bafana Bafana skipper, Aaron Mokoena runs on to the pitch in Limerick for his 50th cap tonight, against Ireland, the South African National team will be hoping for a better result than their 2 –0 loss to Germany at Leverkusen on the weekend.

The Portsmouth defender-cum-midfielder, who has 92 caps in all for South Africa, moved past Lucas Radebe’s record of 43 matches as captain of the side earlier in the year, and should now stretch his record past the 50 mark.
The South African team is going to have to up their game significantly in spite of Coach Joel Santana’s up-talking a rather poor and lackluster display from Bafana Bafana on Saturday bight against an energised and slick German team.

Coach Joel Santana and captain Aaron Mokoena insist these friendlies are a learning process and the skipper is expecting to gain more international insight against Giovanni Trapattoni’s men.

Bafana Bafana Team Preview

According to football365, Bafana, who employed three defensive midfielders against the Germans, is set to drop a destroyer – most likely Bevan Fransman in favour of Siphiwe Tshabalala. But goalkeeper Shu-Aib Walters will play no part in the encounter after breaking his finger in training and Steven Pienaar is a fitness doubt for the visitors.
Meanwhile, the hosts will be without senior players Robbie Keane, Richard Dunne, Shay Given and Kevin Kilbane, who have been rewarded for their hard-fought win in Cyprus with additional time off.

First National Cap for Clifford Ngobeni

Bafana Bafana coach Joel Santana will hand midfielder Clifford Ngobeni a first international cap when South Africa take on the Republic of Ireland in Limerick on Tuesday night.

According to Kickoff, Ngobeni, who has only ever featured in training matches for the national side before, is likely to be joined in the starting line-up by Siyabonga Nkosi and Mabhuti Khenyeza, although Richard Henyekane emerged as a possible starter, probably at the expense of Nkosi at training on Monday afternoon.

The Ajax Cape Town youngster will be part of an experimental, more attacking line-up against the under-strength Irish, who have sent the majority of their big-name players back to their respective clubs.

Photo: New Bafana Cap, Clifford Ngobeni. Kickoff.com

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The second edition of the MTN8 competition kicked off on 4 August 2009.  The eight teams that have finished in the top eight of the Absa Premiership will slug it out to see who will be the last man standing. The winners take home an R8 million first prize.

2009 MTN8 Wafa Wafa -  Results 4 August

Kaizer Chiefs 3 Bidvest Wits 1

Amakhosi’s goals were scored by Nkosinathi Nhleko, David Mathebula, Knowledge Masona, and Mark Haskins scored Wits’ goal.

AmaZulu 2 Supersport United 2

(Match ended 33 after extra time and AmaZulu won the lottery of penalties to advance to the next round)

On Saturday Chiefs will welcome Engen Santos in an Absa Premiership opener at Orlando Stadium. Kick off for the game is at 20h15.

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Manchester City is now my favorite team in the whole wide world after City manager Mark Hughes and his England midfield star, Gareth Barry, have come out in support of South African soccer fans blowing their vuvuzelas.

Well I still think they spent too much money and I don’t quite know if I buy that whole story about an investment in the future. My grandfather always said one should never invest in anything that eats or needs to be painted!

Endorsement of the Vuvuzela

Steven Ireland

But the ringing endorsement of the Vuvuzela was nice, even if it came hot on the heels of City’s  1-0 defeat of Kaizer Chief last night , when captain Stevie Ireland sent the Blues into Saturday’s Vodacom Challenge Final.

Hughes did not think the vuvuzela interfered at all with the game, in fact he felt that it added to the passion in both venues they had played.

According to IOL the City boss said:

“The spirit here in the crowd has been brilliant and the local fans are really a tremendous part of the South African game.”

Mark Hughes continued:

“I enjoyed the experience of hearing the vuvuzelas we heard about in the Confederations Cup, and as far as I am concerned they add to the excitement of the crowd.”

Gareth Barry, who was signed by Hughes from Aston Villa for about R225-million recently, agreed with his manager.

“What I and the other players really enjoyed was the noise and passion created by the fans.

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The new look Orlando Pirates side  scored a stunning 2 -0 victory over English Premiership club Manchester City at a  jam-packed Peter Mokaba Stadium yesterday (Saturday) in a Vodacom Challenge Match.

This as an auspicious start to the pre season for coach Ruud  Kroll and the Buccaneers who were without their four Bafana Bafana stars, striker Katlego Mashego, midfield playmaker Teko Modise, plus defenders Innocent Mdledle and midfield anchorman Benson Mhlongo who were rested by Krol after helping Bafana finish fourth in last month Fifa Confederations Cup played in South Africa.

Once a Pirate Always a Pirate

The massive crowd went wild as Bucs’ leading goal scorer from last season, defender Lucas Thwala slotted Pirates into a 1-0 lead 10 minutes from the interval.

Phenyo Mongla Scores a Goal

A sensational second goal by Bucs newcomer, Botswana Midfielder, Phenyo Mongala in the 56th minute sealed the victory for the Buccaneers as their supporters gave the crossed arms salute – once a Pirate, always a Pirate!

The Daily Mail’s story Orlando Pirates 2 Man City 0: Hughes Boys walk the Plank tells the tale from the UK perspective:

“Moneybags Manchester City were made to walk the plank by Orlando Pirates as their South African trip started with a defeat.”

Manchester City face Kaizer Chiefs in their second Challenge match at Durban’s Absa Stadium on Tuesday night.

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