05-08-2005, 09:37 AM
Faced with the imposing task of playing one of the most important games in South African soccer history -- the World Cup qualifying game in Burkina Faso early in September -- Bafana Bafana on Wednesday were hit by the disconcerting news that the South African Football Association (Safa) is struggling to secure a critical warm-up fixture for the national team's "shadow" World Cup line-up on August 17.
If Bafana lose in Burkina Faso, the prospects of South Africa qualifying for next year's World Cup tournament in Germany will, in all probability, be reduced to nil.
And it is no secret that coach Stuart Baxter is hoping, as a priority, to piece together the various Bafana segments that have emerged from the recent Gold Cup tournament in the United States, the line-up of local players he will be fielding in next week's Cosafa Cup and the strong complement of overseas-based players into an effective unit.
But the game in which the Bafana coach had hoped to complete this intricate soccer jigsaw puzzle -- the friendly against either Colombia or Iceland on August 17 -- is now in jeopardy.
Indeed, while Safa has dithered and dabbled over arranging the vital game on a date ratified by Fifa for international matches, the bitter irony has surfaced that Colombia and Iceland could now meet if nothing concrete emerges with Bafana.
And emphasising the plight of Safa in arranging the "dress rehearsal" for the Burkina Faso showdown is the fact that 70 nations are already involved in international games of one sort or another on August 17.
"We are desperately trying to sort out something so that Bafana have a game on August 17," said Safa director of international affairs Barney Kujane on Wednesday, "but at this stage there is nothing definite."
Ironically, Safa has taken the precaution of calling up a shortlist of players for what is at this juncture a phantom game on August 17 -- in the hope that something will materialise.
But the suspicion exists that Safa may again have set about closing the stable door in this urgent matter after the horse has bolted. -- Sapa
If Bafana lose in Burkina Faso, the prospects of South Africa qualifying for next year's World Cup tournament in Germany will, in all probability, be reduced to nil.
And it is no secret that coach Stuart Baxter is hoping, as a priority, to piece together the various Bafana segments that have emerged from the recent Gold Cup tournament in the United States, the line-up of local players he will be fielding in next week's Cosafa Cup and the strong complement of overseas-based players into an effective unit.
But the game in which the Bafana coach had hoped to complete this intricate soccer jigsaw puzzle -- the friendly against either Colombia or Iceland on August 17 -- is now in jeopardy.
Indeed, while Safa has dithered and dabbled over arranging the vital game on a date ratified by Fifa for international matches, the bitter irony has surfaced that Colombia and Iceland could now meet if nothing concrete emerges with Bafana.
And emphasising the plight of Safa in arranging the "dress rehearsal" for the Burkina Faso showdown is the fact that 70 nations are already involved in international games of one sort or another on August 17.
"We are desperately trying to sort out something so that Bafana have a game on August 17," said Safa director of international affairs Barney Kujane on Wednesday, "but at this stage there is nothing definite."
Ironically, Safa has taken the precaution of calling up a shortlist of players for what is at this juncture a phantom game on August 17 -- in the hope that something will materialise.
But the suspicion exists that Safa may again have set about closing the stable door in this urgent matter after the horse has bolted. -- Sapa