In the build-up to the Olympics, soccer writer NJABULO NGIDI profiles the players who will represent South Africa in Rio and MATSHELANE MAMABOLO reminisces on a member of the Class of 2000.
Today they look at Free State-born players Mothobi Mvala and Daniel Matsau
Johannesburg - The past two months have been so good to Mothobi Mvala that his only disappointment is that he hasn’t had much time to celebrate.
A week after the play-offs ended, with his club Highlands Park gaining promotion to the PSL, Mvala was playing a friendly match in Japan in his debut for the national Under-23s.
That was his audition to be a part of the 18-man squad to travel to Brazil after he missed out on the Cosafa Cup because it clashed with the play-offs. It wasn’t a glorious outing. Mvala and company were hammered 4-1 by Japan, who are also at the Olympics.
But the 22-year-old’s performance in the first division with Highlands and his versatile nature – he is able to play in defence and in midfield – were enough for coach Owen da Gama to name him in the Olympic squad.
Celebrations for those achievements had to be put on hold – Mvala has rather been focusiing on competing for a place in the starting XI against Phumlani Ntshangase and Abbubaker Mobara.
“There have been moments where I don’t believe that this is happening to me, that this is my life,” said the lad from Theunissen.
“I will be an Olympian soon and after that I will be playing in the PSL. It’s an amazing time for me personally because not so long ago I was playing in the ABC Motsepe League with Highlands Park when we were still coached by Steve Haupt. We made our way up to the NFD and eventually the PSL. We worked hard for it and didn’t take any short cuts.”
Mvala will have to adopt a similar, fight-for-survival approach when he returns from the Olympics to the Lions of the North camp. The club has bolstered their squad with 12 signings.
Those additions include Thanduyise Khuboni, who will compete with Mvala in central midfield. Khuboni will have the edge as he would have spent pre-season with the team. And that’s why Mvala has to make the most of his Olympic campaign, even though he has solid performances from last season to fall back on.
“I wouldn’t be where I am now if I lived in fear,” Mvala said. “I believe in my talent and the additions the club brought can only help me raise my game.”
Matsau: Short but sweet in 2000
In a strike force that included Benni McCarthy and Siyabonga Nomvethe, Daniel Matsau was always going to struggle to make the starting line-up.
And for a player accustomed to playing a leading role, such a shift in standing should have had a negative effect on his confidence. Matsau, however, had no such problems, even though he was usurped by Nomvethe. Yet, he still managed to finish the qualifying campaign for the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games as the team’s top scorer with four goals.
A brace against Ghana and a strike in the defeat of Guinea were followed up by that solitary goal which sunk New Zealand at Vosloorus Stadium to seal South Africa’s first ever Olympic soccer tournament ticket.
That year, he was already a star player for Bloemfontein Celtic. And soon Kaizer Chiefs swooped on the lad from Allanridge near Welkom. No doubt many thought he would be a key player at the Games, even if it was as a substitute. Matsau only got a mere six minutes in Australia, coming on for an injured Nomvethe against Brazil.
He didn’t score, but he still made a telling contribution – his presence keeping the Brazilian defence from foraging forward to help in their search for an equaliser with the match at 2-1.
And then in one attack for the South Africans, Matsau forced a save out of Helton. But the Brazil goalkeeper only succeeded in parrying the ball into Steve Lekoelea’s path and the midfielder easily tapped in for a third.
He has long since retired, having not had as much success in club football as he did on the international scene, where he also participated in the World Youth Championships.
*On Wednesday they will look at Gift Motupa and Siyabonga Nomvethe
The Star