05-09-2005, 09:29 AM
Burkina Faso (2) 3
Cisse 33, 48, Kebe 40
South Africa (0) 1
Zuma 76
On a night of shame on Saturday, Bafana Bafana were all but dumped out of World Cup 2006.
Bafana were suddenly all over the place
If Ghana beat Uganda at home on Sunday, a probable result, Bafana's dream will officially be over. Coach Stuart Baxter may as well resign himself to defeat right now. In fact many will say he may as well resign, full stop.
It seems highly unlikely that Baxter will last even until next month's final World Cup qualifier at home to the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is now not even beyond the realms of possibility that Bafana could get knocked out of the African Nations Cup slated for Egypt next year.
In fact, if the Stallions of Burkina Faso win in Uganda, and Bafana lose to the DRC next month, the ultimate humiliation will be complete.
The Burkina Faso Football Federation put a most gracious message to Bafana on their big screen before the start of play: "Welcome to our brothers and friends of South Africa," it read, "Good match in fair play."
But that is where their generosity ended, as the Stallions simply ripped Bafana to shreds with almost nonchalant ease. Baxter's men were a shambles in defence - Mbulelo Mabizela abysmal on his return to centreback, nowhere in midfield and lethargic in attack with Benni McCarthy only waking up when it was far too late.
It took around 50 minutes for Bafana to truly test Abdoulayre Soulama's goal, and by then, they were already three goals down. When the impressive Sibusiso Zuma did notch a goal, lashing in Bartlett's cross, it was scant consolation.
Yet it had all started fairly promisingly for Bafana on a typically humid evening in Ouagadougou.
Cheered on by a small block of their own fans, they had the first decent break of the game, Bartlett finding McCarthy on the edge of the area. But just as a shooting chance opened up for him, McCarthy chose to square, and failed to find Siyabonga Nomvete. Nomvete's burst of pace then found him some space, but he shot tamely at Soulama.
Burkina Faso, however, were beginning to find their feet, particularly in the centre of midfield where Florent Rouamba was a colossus. And they nearly had a goal just before the 20-minute mark, when Yaya Kebe, who had his own fan club among the crowd, crossed, and Nasief Morris somehow diverted the ball wide of his own goal.
Bafana were suddenly all over the place, their goal under siege, and coach Baxter had one heated exchange with Mabizela.
But it had little effect, and the Stallions duly scored when Boureima Ouattara burst into the penalty area and crossed for Abdoulaye Cisse to slot home. Bafana's woes were doubled within seven minutes when Yaya Kebe, - he had his fan club in raptures - burst clear of the Bafana defence after an awful mix-up between Mabizela and Benson Mhlongo, and chipped the ball coolly over Hans Vonk.
Any motivating team talk Baxter may have given at halftime was then destroyed, as Mabizela, caught ball-watching, tripped Cisse in the area, and the Montpellier striker stepped up and converted the spot kick.
TEAMS
Burkina Faso: Soulama; Tassembedo, Barro, M Ouattara, Kere (Coul-oibaly 66); B Ouattara, Rouamba, Nikiema, Panadetiguiri; Kebe (Minoungou 82), Cisse.
South Africa (4-4-2): Vonk; Morris (Lekgwathi 60), Mabizela, Mokoena, Rammile (Katza 46); Van Heerden, Mhlongo, Pienaar, Nomvete (Zuma 60); Bartlett, McCarthy.
Referee: Coffi Codjia (Benin).
Assistants: Celestin Ntagungira (Rwanda), Aroudou Adeodjou (Benin).
Cisse 33, 48, Kebe 40
South Africa (0) 1
Zuma 76
On a night of shame on Saturday, Bafana Bafana were all but dumped out of World Cup 2006.
Bafana were suddenly all over the place
If Ghana beat Uganda at home on Sunday, a probable result, Bafana's dream will officially be over. Coach Stuart Baxter may as well resign himself to defeat right now. In fact many will say he may as well resign, full stop.
It seems highly unlikely that Baxter will last even until next month's final World Cup qualifier at home to the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is now not even beyond the realms of possibility that Bafana could get knocked out of the African Nations Cup slated for Egypt next year.
In fact, if the Stallions of Burkina Faso win in Uganda, and Bafana lose to the DRC next month, the ultimate humiliation will be complete.
The Burkina Faso Football Federation put a most gracious message to Bafana on their big screen before the start of play: "Welcome to our brothers and friends of South Africa," it read, "Good match in fair play."
But that is where their generosity ended, as the Stallions simply ripped Bafana to shreds with almost nonchalant ease. Baxter's men were a shambles in defence - Mbulelo Mabizela abysmal on his return to centreback, nowhere in midfield and lethargic in attack with Benni McCarthy only waking up when it was far too late.
It took around 50 minutes for Bafana to truly test Abdoulayre Soulama's goal, and by then, they were already three goals down. When the impressive Sibusiso Zuma did notch a goal, lashing in Bartlett's cross, it was scant consolation.
Yet it had all started fairly promisingly for Bafana on a typically humid evening in Ouagadougou.
Cheered on by a small block of their own fans, they had the first decent break of the game, Bartlett finding McCarthy on the edge of the area. But just as a shooting chance opened up for him, McCarthy chose to square, and failed to find Siyabonga Nomvete. Nomvete's burst of pace then found him some space, but he shot tamely at Soulama.
Burkina Faso, however, were beginning to find their feet, particularly in the centre of midfield where Florent Rouamba was a colossus. And they nearly had a goal just before the 20-minute mark, when Yaya Kebe, who had his own fan club among the crowd, crossed, and Nasief Morris somehow diverted the ball wide of his own goal.
Bafana were suddenly all over the place, their goal under siege, and coach Baxter had one heated exchange with Mabizela.
But it had little effect, and the Stallions duly scored when Boureima Ouattara burst into the penalty area and crossed for Abdoulaye Cisse to slot home. Bafana's woes were doubled within seven minutes when Yaya Kebe, - he had his fan club in raptures - burst clear of the Bafana defence after an awful mix-up between Mabizela and Benson Mhlongo, and chipped the ball coolly over Hans Vonk.
Any motivating team talk Baxter may have given at halftime was then destroyed, as Mabizela, caught ball-watching, tripped Cisse in the area, and the Montpellier striker stepped up and converted the spot kick.
TEAMS
Burkina Faso: Soulama; Tassembedo, Barro, M Ouattara, Kere (Coul-oibaly 66); B Ouattara, Rouamba, Nikiema, Panadetiguiri; Kebe (Minoungou 82), Cisse.
South Africa (4-4-2): Vonk; Morris (Lekgwathi 60), Mabizela, Mokoena, Rammile (Katza 46); Van Heerden, Mhlongo, Pienaar, Nomvete (Zuma 60); Bartlett, McCarthy.
Referee: Coffi Codjia (Benin).
Assistants: Celestin Ntagungira (Rwanda), Aroudou Adeodjou (Benin).