Vuvuzela South Africa

Its the quarterfinals of the 2010 World Cup, and we are getting to the most exciting matches, but we are also almost getting to the end.

It seems like forever that all we could talk about was 2010. And now we have seven more matches and then it is over.

Eight teams have qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup Quarterfinals. They are Brazil, Netherlands, Spain, Paraguay, Ghana, Uruguay, Argentina, and Germany.

But its the two South Americans Brazil and Argentina who are certainly two of the favourites  with Paraguay a wide outsider.

Read 2010 FIFA World Cup Quarter Finals – All the Matches

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Germany coach Joachim Loew has selected 25-year-old Bayern Munich defender Philipp Lahm as captain of the World Cup team. Bastian Schweinsteiger will be the vice captain

Philipp Lahm( the youngest captain of the German squad) takes the place of Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack, who will miss the tournament in South Africa because of an ankle injury but he will accompany his teammates in South Africa.

Loew nominated the 24-year-old Manuel Neuer of Shalke as the new number one goalie for the tournament in South Africa due to the rib injury to former goalie Rene Adler. Manuel Neuer is a newbie at the national squad which he joined in 2009 and made three official matches.

Image: German Captain, Phillipp Lahm. wikipedia.org

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Carlos Alberto Parreira

Carlos Alberto Parreira,  Bafana Bafana head coach, has announced  a 25-man squad that will travel to Germany for a training camp. The team departs on Monday (12 April) and will return to South Africa on Friday (30 April).

With spirits running high in the Bafana camp after a very successful training camp in Brazil, the boys seem to be looking forward to the European trip.

World Cup Squad

Commenting on the selected squad, Parreira said the door for the World Cup squad is still open for players who display tactical and social discipline. Orlando Pirates hitman, Katlego Mashego and Siyabonga Nomvete from Moroka Swallows made a national team come back ahead of the Germany training camp.

“Football is a game of moments, I have changed the players around a bit but I am still keeping the foundation of the team. It is unfortunate that we can’t take every player to the camp, and in any case the final list will have 23 players. The Germany camp is getting closer to the World Cup, so we have to show some improvements as a team, we can’t afford any retrogression, and as a result we have to improve further from our previous gains. The team has shape and we are now competitive tactically and physically,” said Parreira in the Safa Website.

The Bafana Squad for Germany

Goalkeepers – Itumeleng Khune, Moeneeb Josephs, Shu-Aib Walters

Defenders – Matthew Booth, Lucas Thwala, Siyanda Xulu, Siyabonga Sangweni, Siboniso Gaxa, Bongani Khumalo, Innocent Mdledle, Thabo Nthethe.

Midfielders – Teko Modise, Surprise Moriri, Gert Schalkwyk, Siphiwe Tshabalala, Thanduyise Khuboni, Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Lance Davids, Lebohang Mokoena, Andile Jali, Franklin Cale, Daylon Claasen, Thabo Nthethe, Katlego Mashego.

Strikers – Katlego Mphela, Siyabonga Nomvete.

Image: Carlos Alberto Parreira – safa

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Last night at Leverkusen, South African National soccer team Bafana Bafana lost 2 -0 to an energised and young German team, courtesy of goals either side of the interval from Mario Gomez and Mesut Özil.

And Bafana Bafana?  At times they were energetic(not too often) . Most of the time they looked flat-footed, playing much to far back, never never making  much of an impact on the German defense.

Playing in the red away kit, the German team was always moving forward in the international friendly in the BayArena. Coach Joel Santana and his ‘eight-man defense’ certainly did well to contain the Germans for much of the match, but offered next to nothing going forward, except for Stephen Pienaar who stood out. A goal in either half was enough for Joachim Loew’s side, who might have won by more but for some excellent goalkeeping from Bafana’s Rowen Fernandez.

My problem with Bafana Bafana was that they looked like a team who believed that they could not win – they had no confidence. Their set pieces were weak and with most of the team playing defense, the strikers never really had much support to really set up and execute any action. What can superb striker like Pienaar do when coach Santana fields an incredible three defensive-minded midfielders?

Let us hope Santana plays a bit of a different game on Tuesday night against Ireland in Limerick.

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Today South African National Football Team Bafana Bafana takes on Germany in Leverkusen.

According to Football 365.co.za, German defender Philipp Lahm believes the clash with South Africa will provide his teammates with the perfect platform to rediscover their form ahead of the crucial World Cup qualifier with Russia and the return tie with Azerbaijan.

The German team is looking forward to improving in defense and attack in their match against South Africa and see it as a tough but winnable game. The football superpower is fourth on the FIFA rankings, with Bafana Bafana a disappointing 73rd

Group Four 2010 World Cup Leaders

As Group Four leaders in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying Rounds, Germany take on Azerbaijan in the return match in Hanover next Wednesday after beating them 2 – 0  in an unimpressive performance in Baku last month. The 2006 World Cup hosts face their biggest test of the qualification campaign so far in Moscow on October 10 when they take on Russia.

Bafana Bafana Confident of an Upset

After a good showing in the Confederations Cup, Bafana are confident of causing an upset, despite recently losing 3-1 Serbia in a warm-up match.

“We know our record against European opposition in Europe is not great but we are not going to let that worry us,” left back Siboniso Gaxa told his club Mamelodi Sundowns‘ official website.

The overall conclusion from the Bafana camp is that the side needs to start converting their goal scoring opportunities if they aim to record a victory.

Mphela and Parker up Front

Kickoff suggests that Bafana Bafana coach Joel Santana is likely to start with Mphela and Bernard Parker up-front, with Khenyeza set to come in as substitute later in the match.

But it is in the midfield and the back where the Bafana Bafana might struggle,

Belgium-based defender Anele Ngcongca looks set to get his first Bafana Bafana cap in the absence of injured Matthew Booth. With Itumeleng Khune also injured, veteran Brian Baloyi may start in goal ahead of Rowen Fernandez although I still believe that Orlando Pirates in form goalkeeper Moeneeb Josephs would have been a much better choice for this tour.

Even though plagued with injury, coach Joel Santana is spoilt for choice with experienced campaigners like Siyabonga Nkosi, Mabhuti Khenyeza and Bevan Fransmann available this time. He also has tried and tested players like Steven Pienaar, Bernard Parker, Benson Mhlongo and Simphiwe Tshabalala., so a good result might just be possible.

Amajita play Germany’s Under- 20s in Hamburg at 3.30pm.

Look at some Interesting Stats between Bafana Bafana and Germany.

Photo: Gaxa Siboniso – photo Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club

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