A sense of nostalgia about Bafana vs Zim clash
IT could be that I am suffering from nostalgia. But then again surely I am not the only one getting some 1992 vibes about Bafana Bafana’s upcoming Fifa World Cup qualifying clash against Zimbabwe, am I?
I mean there’s this whole excitement about a new era for our national team following the appointment of Hugo Broos as coach. As if that was not enough, the Belgian has gone and literally restructured Bafana by sending previous regulars out to pasture and injecting the squad with new players eager to make a name in senior international football.
The squad that will head to Zimbabwe for Friday’s Group G opener against the Warriors is made up mainly of local players with a sprinkling of overseas-based ones. Our adversaries, on the other hand, have a squad of some seasoned campaigners with a majority of their players based in Europe.
Forgive me then for feeling like I am dreaming. But wasn’t this exactly the case 29 years ago when we had just been readmitted into international football? Didn’t Screamer Tshabalala take with him to Harare a bunch of celebrated local stars that were international greenhorns for an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying tie against a Zimbabwe outfit teeming with established internationals who plied their trade all over Europe?
Just as then, there is the sense among local football fans that Bafana should bag the maximum points from the opening match. After all, many seem to believe, we are a stronger footballing nation than our northern neighbours whose players head here to play in our bigger and better league.
Back then though, we learnt the hard way – Bafana suffered a 4-1 hammering that served as a rude awakening to the reality of international football.
It is unlikely that Broos and his boys will get such a baptism of fire. But it would be folly of any South African to foresee Friday’s clash as a case of the boys merely flying over the Limpopo to go pick up maximum points.
Granted, the general perception is that the battle for a ticket to Qatar 2022 in this group will be between Bafana and Ghana’s Black Stars, with Zimbabwe and Ethiopia seen as alsorans. But football is fickle at the top, and anyone who dares underestimate the opposition based on history does so at the risk of being sent down to earth with a thump.
The reality of international football now is such that there’s no longer a thing as a given result. And when it comes to clashes between neighbours in particular, the so-called underdogs have been known to always find that extra motivation to perform.
Sure, we prevailed over Zimbabwe in the previous World Cup qualifying meeting, Bafana winning 2-0 away and 2-1 at home in 2000 during the campaign for the Korea/Japan edition.
That should not, however, be seen as a true indicator of what’s to come, for Zimbabwe have generally enjoyed the upper hand in clashes thereafter with four wins and a draw out of seven meetings. That they won the last two encounters against SA should have Khama Billiat and Co gleefully anticipating Friday’s match.
Like the clash between England and Scotland, our tie with Zimbabwe has a ring of lowly neighbours taking on their richer and more revered adversaries to it. And just as the Scots always manage to rise above their abilities and deliver great results, so does Zimbabwe against us – with their players determined to prove themselves and always getting stuck in and holding nothing back.
This time though, the reality is that player for player, Zimbabwe can claim to have a stronger side simply based on where their players are plying their trade. While we only have two players playing in Europe, the Warriors have seven players based in England, with others earning their living in Scotland, France, Spain, Georgia and the US.
Should they all make it – the English clubs in particular were reluctant to release their players because they’d have to quarantine for 10 days upon their return – Zimbabwe will definitely field a stronger side than Broos would. And they will no doubt believe they can teach their neighbours a lesson similar to that one dished out by their predecessors in 1992.
It is the kind of result Broos and his players must avoid at all cost, for a slip up so early in the qualifiers will be hard to get over. And with just one spot available for Qatar 2022, a flying start to the campaign is important. In any case, the Belgian has to convince us that he is as good as his employers have made him out to be.
BAFANA BAFANA SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Ronwen Williams (SuperSport), Veli Mothwa (AmaZulu), Bruce Bvuma (Chiefs).
Defenders: Sydney Mobbie (Sundowns), Rushine De Reuck (Sundowns), Thapelo Morena (Sundowns), Siyanda Xulu (Hapoel Tel Aviv, Israel),Thibang Phete (Belenenses FC, Portugal), Thabani Dube (Chiefs), Sibusiso Mabiliso (Chiefs)
Midfielders: Sipho Mbule (SuperSport), Teboho Mokoena (SuperSport), Mothobi Mvala (Sundowns), Yusuf Maart (Sekhukhune), Ethan Brooks (Galaxy), Njabulo Blom (Chiefs)
Strikers: Thabiso Kutumela (Sundowns), Bongokuhle Hlongwane (Maritzburg), Gift Links (Aarhus GF, Denmark), Evidence Makgopa (Baroka), Victor Letsoalo (Real Kings), Percy Tau (Al Ahly, Egypt), Luther Singh (FC Copenhagen, Denmark).
ZIMBABWE:
Goalkeepers: Washington Arubi (Marumo Gallants), Talbert Shumba (Free State Stars), Martin Mapisa (Zamora, Spain) Defenders: Teenage Hadebe (Houston Dynamo, US), Divine Lunga (Sundowns), Onismor Bhasera (SuperSport), Tendayi Darikwa (Wigan Athletic, England), Jordan Zemura (Bournemouth, England), Brendan Galloway (Plymouth Argyle, England), Alec Mudimu (Torpedo Kutaisi, Georgia), Jimmy Dzingai (unattached), Takudzwa Chimwemwe (Nkana FC, Zambia) Midfielders: Marshall Munetsi (Stade de Reims, France), Perfect Chikwende (Simba SC, Tanzania), Thabani Kamusoko, Tafadzwa Rusike (both ZESCO United, Zambia), Jonah Fabisch (Hamburger SV, Germany), Butholezwe Ncube (AmaZulu), Marvelous Nakamba (Aston Villa, England), Kuda Mahachi (SuperSport), Khama Billiat (Chiefs), Blessing Sarupinda (Sekhukhune), Ovidy Karuru (unattached). Strikers: Knowledge Musona (Al Tai, Saudi Arabia), Tino Kadewere (Lyon, France), David Moyo (Hamilton Academical, Scotland), Admiral Muskwe (Luton Town, England), Macauley Bonne (Ipswich Town, England), Terrence Dzvukamanja (Pirates).