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Polokwane - Bafana Bafana notched their biggest win in international soccer when they outplayed minnows Gautemala 5-0 in a lop sided World Cup warm-up clash played at the new Peter Mokaba Stadium on Monday night.
Bafana’s best previous wins were 4-0 victories over Chad in Durban in 2007 and they equalled that by drilling Thailand by 4-0 in Nelspruit two weeks ago.
Guatemala were cannon fodder and never tested the fired up home side. But the biggest loser could be Bafana striker Benni McCarthy who sat on the bench for the entire match.
Bafana head coach Carlos Alberto Parreira names his final 23-man squad in Sandton at 9am on Tuesday and the signs look ominous for the overweight West Ham United striker who has only played a handful of minutes during the training camp when he came on midway through the second half of the 2-1 win over Colombia at Soccer City last Thursday night.
There was more history, as Bafana skipper Aaron Mokoena became the first South African player to reach 100 caps. The Portsmouth defender celebrated with the record victory and by playing with the number 100 on the back of his jersey.
Bafana huffed and puffed during the opening 45 minutes. The home side were helped by a generous penalty decision by referee Ibrahim Chaiba who awarded Bafana a spot kick in the 10th minute for an obscure handball inside the penalty area.
Katlego Mphela who had an otherwise disappointing half slotted home the delight of the partisan fans in the 40 000 plus crowd.
The Central Americans only attempt at scoring came from a header from defender Carlos Gallaerdo that flew wide of the Bafana woodwork in the 15th minute.
Bafana midfield hard man Reneilwe Letsholonyane secured his place in Parreira’s final 23-man squad when he made it 2-0 with a glorious volley in the 26th minute after an equally good cross from left back Lucas Thwala giving keeper David Guerra no chance putting the home side into a 2-0 lead.
It was obvious that the 114th ranked Guatemalans were out of their depth when Bafana took control of the game midway through the half but what was worrying was the fact that Bafana failed to add to their lead in the first half.
Siphiwe Tshabalala sent a rocket wide of the Guatemala woodwork on the half hour.
Eight minutes alter Mphela had a shot deflected for a corner as Bafana piled on the pressure against a side that showed little skill and imagination in midfield.
Surprise Moriri made a dramatic entrance at the start of the second half when he replaced Teko Modise when he made it 3-0 from close range after he was set up by a well directed cross from his Mamelodi Sundowns teammate Mphela in the 48th minute.
But Guatemala wasted a chance to reduce the deficit when the Central Americans were awarded a penalty when Thwala handled the ball inside his area in the 50th minute. But Josephs psyched out Guatemalan skipper Guillermo Ramirer and the agile Bafana keeper brought the crowd to the feet with a fine penalty save.
Then Mphela showed how to slot home a penalty when the referee penalized Gallaedo for another handball incident inside his penalty area in the 55th minute. Mphela coolly slammed home the spot kick to put Bafana 4-0 ahead.
It was Bafana’s fourth penalty in their last two friendly matches.
There was a scare four minutes later when Bafana star midfielder Steven Pienaar was hacked down and need medical attention. However, much to the delight of the fans and Bafana bench, the Everton ace and man of the match picked himself up and played the full 90 minutes.
Pienaar showed that he another string to his bow when he rattled the crossbar with a fiercely struck 20 metre free kick in the 72nd minute as Guatemala were down and out of this contest.
Super sub Bernard Parker made history by scoring making it 5-0 with a stunning shot that gave Guerra no chance in the 82nd minute to add the icing onto Bafana’s cake.
Another second half substitute Bryce Moon was denied a goal in the 89th minute by a good save form the over worked Guerra.
But at the end of a cold night Bafana can now look forward to their final warm-up friendly against World Cup qualifiers Denmark at Atterdigeville’s Super Stadium on Saturday unbeaten in their last 11 matches under Brazilian Parreira.
