Igesund must clear the air around Pienaar
JOHANNESBURG: Gordon Igesund names his second Bafana Bafana squad this afternoon, with the injury problems which beset his first camp last month not having eased.
Igesund had to alter his squad several times in the week leading up to his first international match when South Africa travelled to Sao Paulo for a match with Brazil and, by the time they played against Mozambique a few days later, no fewer than six players had pulled out of the squad.
Today, as he eyes friendlies against Poland and Kenya, Igesund will be forced to leave out men such as Siboniso Gaxa and Thulani Serero, who in the last week picked up injuries and have not been turning out for Kaizer Chiefs and Ajax Amsterdam respectively, adding to an injury list which has now become longer considering that Morgan Gould, Katlego Mphela and Tsepo Masilela have not featured for the national side recently.
Both Gaxa and Serero played pivotal roles in Igesund’s first camp, as they started the games against Brazil and Mozambique, but the Bafana coach now has to find replacements.
Gaxa had replaced Anele Ngcongca for last month’s games, and it doesn’t appear as if the latter is fit enough to make the trips to Warsaw and Nairobi, having not played for his Belgian side Genk at the weekend.
That Igesund turned to the experienced Gaxa when Ngcongca – Bafana’s first choice right back – pulled out injured last month indicates the coach may now have a crisis on his hands. Thabo Matlaba and Kamohelo Mokotjo are the other players whom Igesund had picked as right-sided defenders, but neither has international experience.
Igesund will also surely face questions about captain Steven Pienaar, who missed the trip to Brazil but has featured for Everton ever since last month’s international week. Weekend reports put into doubt Pienaar’s international future, with one report suggesting he could miss next year’s African Nations Cup at home, and Igesund will be expected to clear the air rather than merely name the midfielder in his squad and hope he pitches.
Good news for Igesund is that Tokelo Rantie, curiously omitted from the last squad amid claims he was not 100% fit, has maintained his great form for Swedish side Malmo. There should be no reason why he can’t make the trip for next week’s games in Poland and Kenya. Rantie, the former Orlando Pirates striker, has scored six goals for Malmo and should be a perfect foil for Bernard Parker, the Kaizer Chiefs striker whose two goals sunk Mozambique last month to hand Igesund his first Bafana win.
Bafana face Poland at the Warsaw National Stadium – which hosted several matches during this year’s Euro Championship – next week Friday (8.45pm), and then take on Kenya’s Harambee Stars at Nyayo Stadium, Nairobi, on October 16.
In 2009, SA won their first-ever meeting with Poland, ranked 56th in the world, but with the European winter looming, Bafana could face a huge challenge in Warsaw, especially as the Poles are using this friendly as preparation for their World Cup qualifier against England.
Lowly Kenya (125th in the world) have never beaten Bafana, with their best result a draw in Arusha 10 years ago. SA won the other two matches.