Sepp Blatter (Gallo)

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Johannesburg - South Africa's Confederation Cup Organising Committee just missed a distinction when FIFA president Sepp Blatter made his assessment of the organisation of the tournament which was completed on Sunday.

Blatter awarded South Africa 7.5 out of 10 and said his faith in awarding both the Confederations Cup and the 2010 World Cup finals to South Africa has been more than justified.

On Bafana Bafana's fourth place finish, the FIFA boss said Bafana had been the surprise team of the tournament and said Bafana could also get as far in the World Cup semi-finals.

"I watched the eventual winners Brazil struggle to beat Bafana 1-0 with a goal in the 88th minute in the semi-finals and then Bafana came within a whisker of beating European champions Spain in the third place playoff going down 3-2 after extra time.

"Bafana improved dramatically as the tournament progressed and if they get another top quality striker, could reach the semi-finals of the World Cup."

Blatter was speaking at a final media briefing to wrap up the tournament at Coca-Cola Park on Monday. All 24 members of the FIFA Executive Committee unanimously praised the way the Confederations Cup was run and said they know they can look forward to a hugely successful 2010 World Cup.

Blatter admitted not everything went right. He said the question of transport and lack of accommodation were two key areas that the 2010 Local Organising Committee would have to rectify before the World Cup kicks off on June 11.

"It was a good Confederations Cup on an off the field. I am more than satisfied and hoping to sit here and award South Africa 10 out of 10 for hosting the World Cup when it ends next July. It is very important for Fifa to host the biggest soccer event in Africa and we know we made the right decision to award it to South Africa.

"But the World Cup is a bigger challenge as regards transport and accommodation. We are expecting about 450 000 soccer tourists and they will need somewhere to sleep and to take them to and from venues.

"So this is a priority we need to resolve."

FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke will meet with 2001 LOC chief executive officer Danny Jordaan this week to iron out problem areas.

Said Valcke: "We cannot hide the fact we had problems with the Park and Ride system, the media shuttle and sighnage did not work.

"But these are problems we can solve and when we make the draw for the World Cup in Cape Town in December, I hope to have them all solved."

Jordaan said the Confederation Cup was history. "Hosting the Confederations Cup was the first small step to staging a successful World Cup. But we are on track.

"There are a lot of challenges ahead and we will meet them head on.

"The highlight for me was Bafana's heroics against Spain. They were brilliant and what was even more fantastic was how they have managed to get the nation behind them. "

FIFA and the media gave a minute silence for the German journalist Wolfgang Jost who was killed in a car accident on the way to the semifinal between Spain and the United States in Bloemfontein last Wednesday.