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Durban - The fans were screaming for goals and Bafana Bafana produced them when they gave Swaziland six of the best in a 6-2 hiding in a training match played at the Chatsworth Stadium on Saturday.
To coin the well worn classic phrase - it was a game of two halves as Bafana head coach Carlos Alberto Parreira took a leaf out of former England coach Sven Goran-Eriksson's book by fielding two different sides in each half of this practice match.
It was a game of two halves in more ways than one. The first was played in blazing heat and the second in cloudy, cool conditions.
The score did not really matter, but Parreira will be pleased to start his preparations for this June’s World Cup finals with an easy win.
Catching the eye were striker Gert Schalkwyk who scored twice in the first half, winger Franklyn Cale who netted twice in the second, plus defender Siyabonga Sangweni, who looked solid for the “First XI” at centre half, and Sundowns midfielder anchor man Matthew Pattison who all put up their hand for a place in the starting line up against Zimbabwe in Durban on Wednesday night.
Bafana play Zimbabwe at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in a friendly where caps will be awarded. No caps were awarded for Saturday’s game.
But despite the convincing scoreline, Parreira knows this is only the start of a tough road that ends on June 11 when Bafana host Mexico in the opening World Cup Group A match at Soccer City.
The “First X1” got off to a flying start by scoring three goals within the first 37 minutes without reply. Bafana’s record score was a 4-0 win, also in Durban, in an African Nations Cup qualifier against Chad a couple of years back.
Bafana were well on the way to an unofficial record score against a Swaziland side that looked like lambs to the slaughter, but to their credit, they refused to surrender and were rewarded when Orlando Pirates striker Dennis Masina reduced the deficit seconds before the halftime whistle with a well taken and deserved goal.
Bafana were ahead in the third minute when first half captain Teko Modise chipped the ball for his Pirates teammate Schalkwyk who did well to loft the ball over the advancing Swaziland keeper Thokozani Mkhulisi to make it 1-0.
The enthusiastic crowd of about 10 000 were allowed free entrance and given a rare treat of a hat-trick of first half goals and some good balanced play, despite the fact that some of the players were rusty due to the PSL break.
Bafana keeper Itumeleng Khune, did well to punch away a dangerous shot from Lwazi Maziya for a corner in the 11th minute as the visitors searched for the equaliser.
Right back Siboniso Gaxa, who must have impressed Parreira with his powerful runs down the right flank, produced a dangerous cross in the 24th minute aimed for Katlego Mphela, but somehow the ball was scrambled for a corner before Mphela got his shot in.
But a minute later the Modise/Schalkwyk combination produced goal number two when midfielder Modise, assisted his striker which enabled Schalkwyk to net his second of the afternoon to make it 2-0.
But Swaziland refused to go down and it took another fine save from the Khune to deny Siza Dlamini a goal in the 34th minute.
Khune did well to pouch the 20 metre shot from the Jomo Cosmos striker.
A minute later Mphela turned defender Sihawi Dlamini inside out but his shot flew wide of the far post.
But Mphela, the PSL and Sundowns leading goal scorer this season, got his name on the score sheet when he latched onto a through ball from Schalkwyk and beat Mkhulisi with a great shot to make it 3-0 in the 37th minute.
But the outgunned Swazis fought back and Masina produced a magical finish to make it 3-1 on the stroke of half-time.
Disappointing for the “First XI” was Chiefs midfielders Siphiwe Tshabalala and Reneilwe Letsholonyane. Tshabalala was played out if position in the centre of midfielder. He is better as a winger or a second striker and was not effective in his new role.
The “Second XI” gave Bafana a 4-1 win lead thanks to a thunderous strike from Cale whose volley beat Mkhulisi hands down in the 58th minute. But the hard working Swazi keeper did brilliantly two minutes later to palm away a screamer form Cale that had goal written all over it.
But Swaziland again hit back when Siza Dlamini scored in the 62nd minute. But any fight back by the visitors ended when Cale rattled home Bafana’s fifth goal in the 67th minute making it 5-2 and putting the match well beyond the limited Swaziland side.
Mkhulisi pulled off another good save, this time denying Pattison a goal in the 72nd minute.
Swaziland ended the match with 10 men when defender Sihawu Dlamini was sent off by local referee Matthew Dyer for a second yellow card in the 78th minute.
Bafana made it 6-2 in injury time when teenager Thulani Serero scored from close range.
To coin the well worn classic phrase - it was a game of two halves as Bafana head coach Carlos Alberto Parreira took a leaf out of former England coach Sven Goran-Eriksson's book by fielding two different sides in each half of this practice match.
It was a game of two halves in more ways than one. The first was played in blazing heat and the second in cloudy, cool conditions.
The score did not really matter, but Parreira will be pleased to start his preparations for this June’s World Cup finals with an easy win.
Catching the eye were striker Gert Schalkwyk who scored twice in the first half, winger Franklyn Cale who netted twice in the second, plus defender Siyabonga Sangweni, who looked solid for the “First XI” at centre half, and Sundowns midfielder anchor man Matthew Pattison who all put up their hand for a place in the starting line up against Zimbabwe in Durban on Wednesday night.
Bafana play Zimbabwe at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in a friendly where caps will be awarded. No caps were awarded for Saturday’s game.
But despite the convincing scoreline, Parreira knows this is only the start of a tough road that ends on June 11 when Bafana host Mexico in the opening World Cup Group A match at Soccer City.
The “First X1” got off to a flying start by scoring three goals within the first 37 minutes without reply. Bafana’s record score was a 4-0 win, also in Durban, in an African Nations Cup qualifier against Chad a couple of years back.
Bafana were well on the way to an unofficial record score against a Swaziland side that looked like lambs to the slaughter, but to their credit, they refused to surrender and were rewarded when Orlando Pirates striker Dennis Masina reduced the deficit seconds before the halftime whistle with a well taken and deserved goal.
Bafana were ahead in the third minute when first half captain Teko Modise chipped the ball for his Pirates teammate Schalkwyk who did well to loft the ball over the advancing Swaziland keeper Thokozani Mkhulisi to make it 1-0.
The enthusiastic crowd of about 10 000 were allowed free entrance and given a rare treat of a hat-trick of first half goals and some good balanced play, despite the fact that some of the players were rusty due to the PSL break.
Bafana keeper Itumeleng Khune, did well to punch away a dangerous shot from Lwazi Maziya for a corner in the 11th minute as the visitors searched for the equaliser.
Right back Siboniso Gaxa, who must have impressed Parreira with his powerful runs down the right flank, produced a dangerous cross in the 24th minute aimed for Katlego Mphela, but somehow the ball was scrambled for a corner before Mphela got his shot in.
But a minute later the Modise/Schalkwyk combination produced goal number two when midfielder Modise, assisted his striker which enabled Schalkwyk to net his second of the afternoon to make it 2-0.
But Swaziland refused to go down and it took another fine save from the Khune to deny Siza Dlamini a goal in the 34th minute.
Khune did well to pouch the 20 metre shot from the Jomo Cosmos striker.
A minute later Mphela turned defender Sihawi Dlamini inside out but his shot flew wide of the far post.
But Mphela, the PSL and Sundowns leading goal scorer this season, got his name on the score sheet when he latched onto a through ball from Schalkwyk and beat Mkhulisi with a great shot to make it 3-0 in the 37th minute.
But the outgunned Swazis fought back and Masina produced a magical finish to make it 3-1 on the stroke of half-time.
Disappointing for the “First XI” was Chiefs midfielders Siphiwe Tshabalala and Reneilwe Letsholonyane. Tshabalala was played out if position in the centre of midfielder. He is better as a winger or a second striker and was not effective in his new role.
The “Second XI” gave Bafana a 4-1 win lead thanks to a thunderous strike from Cale whose volley beat Mkhulisi hands down in the 58th minute. But the hard working Swazi keeper did brilliantly two minutes later to palm away a screamer form Cale that had goal written all over it.
But Swaziland again hit back when Siza Dlamini scored in the 62nd minute. But any fight back by the visitors ended when Cale rattled home Bafana’s fifth goal in the 67th minute making it 5-2 and putting the match well beyond the limited Swaziland side.
Mkhulisi pulled off another good save, this time denying Pattison a goal in the 72nd minute.
Swaziland ended the match with 10 men when defender Sihawu Dlamini was sent off by local referee Matthew Dyer for a second yellow card in the 78th minute.
Bafana made it 6-2 in injury time when teenager Thulani Serero scored from close range.
