Johannesburg – On Thursday morning, Bafana Bafana coach Gordon Igesund will roar out of his post Africa Cup of Nations hibernation, minus a biological appendix, but possibly with some interesting additions to his squad for the upcoming World Cup 2014 qualifier against the Central African Republic.
It is good to hear that Igesund is back to full health following his hospital visit, and he will certainly need to have all his wits about him if he is to guide Bafana to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
South Africa gave a heartening performance at the Nations Cup, but the road to Brazil is paved with difficulties. For starters, Igesund picks up a Bafana team with just two points from their opening two World Cup qualifiers, already behind both Ethiopia and the CAR. Only victory in Cape Town over the CAR will retain realistic hope of qualification.
Igesund has said he will pick a more attacking squad for this game than he did for the Nations Cup. This is excellent in theory, but in practice it is more problematic. Bafana’s Achilles heel, their lack of quality attacking players, is an open secret, and has not suddenly improved in the New Year.
Igesund will go into the CAR game without one of the bright spots from the Nations Cup, the injured scorer against Angola, Lehlohonolo Majoro, while the marksman against Mali, Tokelo Rantie is also a doubt, and Katlego Mphela is struggling for form.
From Igesund’s Nations Cup strikers only Bernard Parker is available and in good nick, hitting double digits on the Absa Premiership scoring charts.
Majoro, for one, will have to be replaced, the most obvious option being for Igesund to revert to experience and his former Moroka Swallows squad, with Katlego Mashego and Siyabonga Nomvethe both possibilities.
Igesund does often go for the men in form, in which case Bidvest Wits’ Ryan Chapman has to be the best option. Chapman is a bit of a streaky striker, but is on a roll at present, with four in his last five league games for the Clever Boys.
Elsewhere, could Leeds United’s Davide Somma find himself brought in from the cold?
Behind the strikers, May Mahlangu was a serious positive to emerge from the Nations Cup, showing an eye for goal on top of a boundless energy in midfield.
But more has to be gleaned from Thulani Serero. Serero was probably the main disappointment from the Nations Cup and a man of his talent surely needs to contribute more to the World Cup campaign if Bafana are to make inroads towards Brazil. – The Star