'Dedicate the game to Gift'

2008-09-04 13:38

Johannesburg - The South African Football Players Union has urged Bafana Bafana to dedicate their World CupAfcon qualifier against Nigeria's Super Eagles at the weekend to their former teammate Gift Leremi.

Wednesday marked the first anniversary of the death of the Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder, who died on September 3, 2007, in a car crash outside Johannesburg.

"The union wants to appeal to the players and the technical team to dedicate the game to former Bafana Bafana player Mpho Leremi," says Safpu spokesperson Elvis Sekgobela.

Leremi, who passed away a few weeks before turning 23, played four times for the senior national team.

The likeable yet controversial star, who made his debut for the Buccaneers in the 2002/03, the season they won the league title, was on the books of Mamelodi Sundowns at the time of his death.

Returning from a CAF Confederations Cup tie in Cameroon, he was involved in a collision in Alberton, and died from severe injuries he sustained in the accident.

Meanwhile, Safpu says it is confident Bafana will emerge victorious on Saturday despite the team's record against the Super Eagles.

Sekgobela says the team should build on the performance it gave when they held Australia to a 2-2 draw a fortnight ago.

"We strongly believe that our players will rise to the occasion," he adds.

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- Kickoff