Tournament News
Bafana places up for grabs
2010-03-01 20:26
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Durban - Places are still up for grabs and that means Bafana Bafana will not be treating their friendly international against Namibia at the Moses Mabhida Stadium lightly on Wednesday night. Kick-off is at 8.30pm.
That was the word form Bafana and Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Siphiwe Tshabalala after national head coach Carlos Alberto Parreira put his players through their paces in their first training session at the Chatsworth Stadium on Monday afternoon in preparation for this clash against Namibia which will also be used to celebrate 100 days to go before the kick-off of the World Cup finals on June 11.
Tshabalala said: “Nobody is guaranteed a place against Namibia or for the training camp in Brazil next week. We are still focused and on our toes with the World Cup only 100 days away.”
The 100 day celebrations take place in Durban on Tuesday with the arrival of FIFA president Sepp Blatter.
Tshabalala and his teammates are determined to celebrate the 100 day mark in style and with a win. Said Tshabalala: “This is not a friendly game. There is far too much at stake. We will not underestimate Namibia. But it won’t be easy. We need to focus not for 90 but 95 minutes to win.”
Tshabalala said he expected Namibia to come at Bafana and prove a point and try and embarrass the World Cup hosts in their backyard.
“This will be like a local derby. They are the underdogs but we cannot write them off.” Tshabalala added.
Tshabalala was used by Parreira as a central midfielder and not in his usual place on the left wing in the 6-2 and 3-0 wins over Swaziland and Zimbabwe respectively in January. Both matches were also played in Durban.
The Chiefs star said he did not mind where he played: “I am comfortable playing in the centre of midfield or on the left wing. I do not mind where I play.”
SuperSport United’s talented left wing Daine Klate will be competing with Tshabalala for the left wing berth against Namibia.
Klate said he was patient and was contend to wait for his chance. He said winning the Premiership with United for a third season was a positive step for him: “I come to this camp with my confidence high and that is a good sign thanks to United winning the league again.”
He said that the excitement ahead of the World Cup was growing: “I was excited when South Africa were awarded the World Cup as hosts in 2004. I was 19 then and I have been working hard ever since and now that the World Cup is so close I need to keep my head down and keep working hard.”