Bafana should flatten Andorra
Top-tier club football takes a break this week but there’s good money to be won on TAB soccer pools featuring international games including a R200,000-added Soccer 10 pool on Friday night.
International football is back in the spotlight this week with a combination of Euro 2024 qualifiers, Africa Cup of Nations preliminaries and several four-nation mini-tournament friendlies, a new concept created by FIFA to try and add spice to otherwise meaningless matches.
South Africa are in action in a debut clash with Andorra in neutral Algeria on Thursday. This should be a routine assignment against one of the game's true minnows, but never underestimate Bafana Bafana's ability to shoot themselves in the foot. Hugo Broos' team then face hosts Algeria next week in the second game of the fourteam event.
England warm up for the Euro 2024 finals with a mouthwatering fixture against Brazil on Saturday. The South Americans have had a torrid time of late and have appointed a new coach in Dorival Júnior to try and turn things around.
France host Germany in another tasty clash the same night. And on Friday night Spain go up against Colombia in London in what should be an enthralling contest between two teams bang in peak form.
All three matches are included in cash-added Soccer 4, 6 and 10 pools on Friday and Saturday.
Portugal's coach Roberto Martinez has left out several regulars for the home fixture with Sweden this Wednesday including Cristiano Ronaldo, who is rested along with Diogo Dalot, Joao Cancelo, Danilo Pereira, Otavio, Ruben Neves, Vitinha and Joao Felix.
Portugal have won their last 10 games in a row, but tonight's side will have an experimental look about it.
Israel meet Iceland in neutral Budapest and Bosnia-Herzegovina take Ukraine in semifinal matches in the Euro 2024 playoffs. These are single-leg ties with the winners meeting in the final of so-called Path B in which they can earn a place in the 14 June-14 July finals in Germany.
Poland take on Estonia and Wales host Finland in Path A, while Georgia take on Luxembourg, surprise contenders at this stage, and Greece meet Kazakhstan in Path C.
The first knockout round of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers starts with the minnows of the continent in action. Chad should beat Mauritius and improving Togo may be too good for Niger in clashes this week.
HIRED/FIRED: Wolfsburg, 14th in the Bundesliga after failing to win for three months, have hired former Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhüttl to replace Niko Kovac. This is the 56-year-old Austrian's first job in the Bundesliga since leaving Leipzig in 2018 before a fouryear stint with Southampton.
BACK IN ACTION: Forgotten man Rivaldo Coetzee played his first minutes for Mamelodi Sundowns since December in the 2-0 Nedbank Cup win over Maritzburg United. He is fit again after a lengthy layoff, one of several in recent years.
WHO’S HOT: Cole Palmer celebrated his England call-up for friendlies against Belgium and Brazil with goals in consecutive games for Chelsea. The 21-yearold has carried the Chelsea attack this season.
WHO’S COLD: Juventus have seen their title challenge in Serie A fizzle out with just one win in eight games for the “Old Lady”. They are now 17 points behind log-leaders Inter Milan.