Are we ready for Moscow?
By Herrold Lamola (@Lamola_eitcHDee)
Bafana Bafana coach, Ephraim 'Shakes' Mashaba, has announced his 25-men squad to take on Senegal in a 2018 World Cup qualifiers encounter and this is the legit squad he has ever assembled since taking the reins in July 2014.
Shakes is under a severe pressure as he failed to qualify for the 2017 Cup of Nations finals. He has to qualify for the 2018 Fifa World Cup in order to save his head from the chop. His mandate with the South African Football Association (SAFA) was to qualify for both the Afcon and World Cup but he has already missed out on one which makes his life difficult and he must top the group. Shakes has collected a single valuable point away in Burkina Faso earlier this month following a 1-1 draw with the Stallions.
A team that concedes a goal in the last minute of the game after surviving two penalties has no qualities to qualify for the world cup. South Africa has no squad that can take on the powerhouses of football at the world cup. Since Mashaba took the reins as Bafana Bafana head coach his side has been visibly struggling to protect a lead. Mashaba's first competitive tournament was in Equatorial Guinea in 2015 at the Afcon tournament and Bafana gave away their leads in all their three group matches. Bafana Bafana's first loss was against Tunisia where the prodigal son, Tokelo Rantie, failed to convert a penalty and give Bafana Bafana a healthy lead as they were leading by a goal to nil at that moment.
A one-all draw against Senegal and a two-one loss to Ghana were all from Bafana defensive blunders. South Africa scored first in all the games but did not win a single match.
Coming back to the World Cup qualifiers. Bafana's bad record against Nigeria equals that of Senegal. The only victories Bafana boasts against the two nations were all friendly matches.
If history is anything to go by, Senegal are favourites to come out victorious in Polokwane on the 12th of November. South Africa has a single victory over The Lions of Terranga of seven previous occasions. There have been two defeats and four draws in other meetings. The Terranga Lions are 11 positions above Bafana who ranks 13th in the African rankings. Burkina Faso are 16th and Cape Verde Islands are 18th. Senegal is the main threat for Bafana as far as the rankings are concerned.
There has always been a new face in almost every squad that Mashaba announces. While he might like the chop and changing of his squad Senegal coach is unlikely to tinker with his squad. The Terranga Lions prioritize consistency and there are high chances that Bafana Bafana will lock horns with the very team that defeated Cape Verde Islands in their opening group match.
Mashaba has included the inform Daine Klate in his squad and one can say this is something that has influenced by the media. Klate appeared in one of the most popular football shows on television and the question of seeing himself wearing the national team jersey was asked. Is this a way of shutting the media? Another new face is the Dutch-born striker Lars Veldwijk. Veldwijk might be the solution to Bafana Bafana goal scoring crisis.
Bafana Bafana has been relying on Tokelo Rantie and Thamsanqa Gabuza for goals but it seems the duo have no answers for the nation. The former has gone AWOL prior Bafana's departure for Burkina Faso earlier this month and the latter is inactive at club level only getting final two minutes of the game in his last club league match.
The newly called Veldwijk has never be in South Africa before and it will be his first visit for the pre-match camp. The 25-year old striker is a target man type of striker and his lethal instincts are different from those of other Bafana strikers. As Veldwijk is giving South Africans hope to see Bafana banging goals it means Shakes has to make another chop.Eleazar Rodgers is likely to be the victim of Veldwijk starting berth.
If there is something that Shakes has learned from Pitso Mosimane's continental success is the importance of home matches. "What we have learnt from Sundowns (in Caf) is that it is important to win our matches at home." Said Mashaba.
Yes I believe Shakes has taken a leaf out of Pitso Mosimane's book but only time
As South Africa still boasts their 1996 AFCON victory the Senegalese are still celebrating their 2002 heroics when they reached the finals of Afcon and lost to the mighty Cameroon on penalties. The Senegalese golden generation of 2002 gave the then World Cup defending champions France a shock of their life when they defeat the French in the opening game of the world cup in Seoul. The Terranga Lions went on to qualify for the quarter finals of the world cup that year.
Senegal is the only country to qualify with a 100% record for the Afcon 2017. Although they were in a less competitive group it is a moral boast for the Senegalese.
No nation can be claimed as minnows for Bafana Bafana as they failed to take maximum points against Mauritania and Gambia in the latest edition of the Cup of nations qualifiers. Cape Verde might have lost to Senegal but it is no walk over for the South Africans. Burkina Faso owes Bafana a visit which is expected late next year and Bafana has to win that game at all cost. The group is still open but Senegal remains the favourites to qualify for the world cup as they are the only country with a sealed victory in the group.
Bafana has a maximum of nine points to collect at home starting with the much anticipated date with Senegal.
This will not be the first time Bafana Bafana faces Cape Verde Islands but it will be for the fourth time when the two sides come face to face in the 2018 FIFA Word Cup Qualifiers later next year.
In all three previous meetings Bafana has never lost to the Islanders. South Africa claiming two victories and a draw in those previous encounters.
2006 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers:
South Africa 2-1 Cape Verde Islands
Cape Verde Islands 1-2 South Africa
2013 AFCON opening match:
South Africa 0-0 Cape Verde Islands
Bafana has to convert their chances if they are to realize their dream to play in the next world cup.
Bafana Bafana squad to take on Senegal:
Goalkeepers: Khune, Mhlongo, Williams
Defenders: Rama, Rivaldo, Tyson, Daniels, Mbekile, Langerman, Mathoho, Matlaba
Midfielders: Jali, Furman, Mahlangu, Patosi, Dolly, Klate, Makola, Kekana
Strikers: Rodgers, Grobler, Lars Veldwijk, Vilakazi, Serero, Phala
Bafana Bafana coach, Ephraim 'Shakes' Mashaba, has announced his 25-men squad to take on Senegal in a 2018 World Cup qualifiers encounter and this is the legit squad he has ever assembled since taking the reins in July 2014.
Shakes is under a severe pressure as he failed to qualify for the 2017 Cup of Nations finals. He has to qualify for the 2018 Fifa World Cup in order to save his head from the chop. His mandate with the South African Football Association (SAFA) was to qualify for both the Afcon and World Cup but he has already missed out on one which makes his life difficult and he must top the group. Shakes has collected a single valuable point away in Burkina Faso earlier this month following a 1-1 draw with the Stallions.
A team that concedes a goal in the last minute of the game after surviving two penalties has no qualities to qualify for the world cup. South Africa has no squad that can take on the powerhouses of football at the world cup. Since Mashaba took the reins as Bafana Bafana head coach his side has been visibly struggling to protect a lead. Mashaba's first competitive tournament was in Equatorial Guinea in 2015 at the Afcon tournament and Bafana gave away their leads in all their three group matches. Bafana Bafana's first loss was against Tunisia where the prodigal son, Tokelo Rantie, failed to convert a penalty and give Bafana Bafana a healthy lead as they were leading by a goal to nil at that moment.
A one-all draw against Senegal and a two-one loss to Ghana were all from Bafana defensive blunders. South Africa scored first in all the games but did not win a single match.
Coming back to the World Cup qualifiers. Bafana's bad record against Nigeria equals that of Senegal. The only victories Bafana boasts against the two nations were all friendly matches.
If history is anything to go by, Senegal are favourites to come out victorious in Polokwane on the 12th of November. South Africa has a single victory over The Lions of Terranga of seven previous occasions. There have been two defeats and four draws in other meetings. The Terranga Lions are 11 positions above Bafana who ranks 13th in the African rankings. Burkina Faso are 16th and Cape Verde Islands are 18th. Senegal is the main threat for Bafana as far as the rankings are concerned.
There has always been a new face in almost every squad that Mashaba announces. While he might like the chop and changing of his squad Senegal coach is unlikely to tinker with his squad. The Terranga Lions prioritize consistency and there are high chances that Bafana Bafana will lock horns with the very team that defeated Cape Verde Islands in their opening group match.
Mashaba has included the inform Daine Klate in his squad and one can say this is something that has influenced by the media. Klate appeared in one of the most popular football shows on television and the question of seeing himself wearing the national team jersey was asked. Is this a way of shutting the media? Another new face is the Dutch-born striker Lars Veldwijk. Veldwijk might be the solution to Bafana Bafana goal scoring crisis.
Bafana Bafana has been relying on Tokelo Rantie and Thamsanqa Gabuza for goals but it seems the duo have no answers for the nation. The former has gone AWOL prior Bafana's departure for Burkina Faso earlier this month and the latter is inactive at club level only getting final two minutes of the game in his last club league match.
The newly called Veldwijk has never be in South Africa before and it will be his first visit for the pre-match camp. The 25-year old striker is a target man type of striker and his lethal instincts are different from those of other Bafana strikers. As Veldwijk is giving South Africans hope to see Bafana banging goals it means Shakes has to make another chop.Eleazar Rodgers is likely to be the victim of Veldwijk starting berth.
If there is something that Shakes has learned from Pitso Mosimane's continental success is the importance of home matches. "What we have learnt from Sundowns (in Caf) is that it is important to win our matches at home." Said Mashaba.
Yes I believe Shakes has taken a leaf out of Pitso Mosimane's book but only time
As South Africa still boasts their 1996 AFCON victory the Senegalese are still celebrating their 2002 heroics when they reached the finals of Afcon and lost to the mighty Cameroon on penalties. The Senegalese golden generation of 2002 gave the then World Cup defending champions France a shock of their life when they defeat the French in the opening game of the world cup in Seoul. The Terranga Lions went on to qualify for the quarter finals of the world cup that year.
Senegal is the only country to qualify with a 100% record for the Afcon 2017. Although they were in a less competitive group it is a moral boast for the Senegalese.
No nation can be claimed as minnows for Bafana Bafana as they failed to take maximum points against Mauritania and Gambia in the latest edition of the Cup of nations qualifiers. Cape Verde might have lost to Senegal but it is no walk over for the South Africans. Burkina Faso owes Bafana a visit which is expected late next year and Bafana has to win that game at all cost. The group is still open but Senegal remains the favourites to qualify for the world cup as they are the only country with a sealed victory in the group.
Bafana has a maximum of nine points to collect at home starting with the much anticipated date with Senegal.
This will not be the first time Bafana Bafana faces Cape Verde Islands but it will be for the fourth time when the two sides come face to face in the 2018 FIFA Word Cup Qualifiers later next year.
In all three previous meetings Bafana has never lost to the Islanders. South Africa claiming two victories and a draw in those previous encounters.
2006 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers:
South Africa 2-1 Cape Verde Islands
Cape Verde Islands 1-2 South Africa
2013 AFCON opening match:
South Africa 0-0 Cape Verde Islands
Bafana has to convert their chances if they are to realize their dream to play in the next world cup.
Bafana Bafana squad to take on Senegal:
Goalkeepers: Khune, Mhlongo, Williams
Defenders: Rama, Rivaldo, Tyson, Daniels, Mbekile, Langerman, Mathoho, Matlaba
Midfielders: Jali, Furman, Mahlangu, Patosi, Dolly, Klate, Makola, Kekana
Strikers: Rodgers, Grobler, Lars Veldwijk, Vilakazi, Serero, Phala
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