No mercy for Malawi
2001-07-11 08:38
Pietermaritzburg - Bafana Bafana will bring to four the number of victories they have gained over no-hopers Malawi if they beat them once more in their final World Cup qualifying Group E match at the Absa Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
En route to qualifying for the 1998 finals, Bafana beat the Malawians twice in the preliminary rounds, thanks to a lone goal by the forgotten man of the South African national team, Eric Tinkler, in the first round, first leg away; and Shaun Bartlett's brace, accompanied by Mark Fish's strike, in a splendid 3-0 victory at home in June 1996.
With victories having dried up for Carlos Queiroz's men over the past three matches, Bafana will be keen to return to their winning ways against a team that has hardly lived up to their nickname, the Flames.
Since beating Zimbabwe via Bartlett's and Benni McCarthy's goal in the fourth round of World Cup qualifiers, Bafana have gained only draws in their last two African Nations Cup qualifiers against Liberia (1-1) away and Congo (0-0) at home and, in a penultimate World Cup tie against Burkina Faso two weeks ago. These draws, however, have all but confirmed Bafana's place in both the Nations Cup and World Cup finals next year.
"It will be fantastic to get back to winning ways on Saturday," said Queiroz, who raised a lot of eyebrows after selecting the out-of-sorts former Bafana Bafana kingpin midfielder Doctor Khumalo to his latest squad.
"For us to remain a top team in Africa we should continue to win matches like the one we are playing on Saturday. I have said before, and I will repeat it again, that there is no way we going to treat this match less than any other simply because we have already qualified for the finals."
Underneath Queiroz's willingness to win remains the immense job of finding more players he has to rely on in both finals.
"Although I have some players in my mind, no one has earned a ticket to the finals. So it's in matches like these that I will be expecting players to show me more of their willingness to stay in the team."
As for Khumalo's selection, Queiroz said his being in the team does not mean he will earn the 50th cap that so many of his followers have begged the national coach to give him.
"It's what players show me in training that finally determines whether a player fits or not into my plans on the day of the match. Reputation counts for nothing. All in all, it's in the players' hands to force themselves into the starting line-up once I have selected them."
Manning Rangers midfielder Sipho Ndzuzo is one other player who will be looking to earn a cap because, of all the 20 players selected, Ndzuzo is the only one yet to earn one, although he came close to winning it in the Congo Nations Cup match which was played in Durban last month.
Bafana Bafana team manager Zola Dunywa said all players, except the Spanish-based striker McCarthy, reported to the team's first training on Tuesday afternoon. Dunywa said McCarthy should touch down in Durban early this morning to join the team in their morning session.
McCarthy is expected to lead South Africa's attack on Saturday alongside his Capetonian counterpart Bradley August, now based in Denmark with Lyngby. Abram Raselemane of Santos and Nkosinathi Nhleko of Jomo Cosmos are the other marksmen who will be fighting for the place in the starting line-up.
Goals by Philemon Masinga and Siyabonga Nomvete helped Bafana beat the Flames 2-1 in the first round, first leg match played in Blantyre in February this year.
Previous meetings between the two countries:
01-06-1996 v Malawi 1-0 (away)
15-06-1996 v Malawi 3-0 (home)
25-02-2001 v Malawi 2-1 (away).
Group E results:
Malawi 1 Burkina Faso 1
Zimbabwe 0 South Africa 2
South Africa 1 Burkina Faso 0
Malawi 1 South Africa 2
Burkina Faso 1 Zimbabwe 2
Zimbabwe 2 Malawi 0
Burkina Faso 4 Malawi 2
South Africa 2 Zimbabwe 1
Burkina Faso 1 South Africa 1.
Group E log
South Africa 5 4 1 0 8 3 13
Zimbabwe 4 2 0 2 5 5 6
Burkina Faso 5 1 2 2 7 7 5
Malawi 4 0 1 3 4 9 1
SA have qualified for World Cup 2002; Guinea were disqualified due to government interference and matches being declared null and void. û Natal Witness