Parreira hails Bafana babes after Castle Cup triumph

AFP - 28 May 2007 00:36

Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira, pictured February 2007, hailed his experimental South Africa side after they won a Castle Cup mini-league here Sunday.

EZULWINI VALLEY, Swaziland (AFP) - Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira hailed his experimental South Africa side after they won a Castle Cup mini-league here Sunday.

Bafana Bafana (The Boys) comfortably overcame Mauritius 2-0 in the Group B final of the southern Africa championship thanks to a goal in each half from Teko Modise from Pretoria-based SuperSport United.

Midfielder Modise was one of 14 uncapped young players given a chance at the weekend by Parreira, who guided his native Brazil to World Cup glory in 1994 and the quarter-finals of the same competition last year.

He quit soon after the loss to France in Germany and is now in charge of 2010 World Cup hosts South Africa, the only country guaranteed a place in the 32-nation quadrennial international football showcase.

Parreira travelled to neighbouring Swaziland despite medical advice to rest after spending last weekend in a Johannesburg hospital recovering from complications following a rib injury sustained in his homeland.

But any discomfort the 64-year-old Brazilian is suffering was not apparent as he lavished praise on youngsters hoping to force their way into contention for the 2010 squad.

"I travelled to Swaziland with two objectives: to win the mini-league and to watch as many footballers as possible and we succeeded on both fronts," Parreria told AFP.

"We blooded 18 players and I now look forward with confidence. The future is bright for South African football. A couple of those who played here might come into contention for the African Nations Cup qualifier against Chad."

South Africa host Chad in the Indian Ocean city of Durban next Saturday seeking to consolidate their leadership of Group 11 which includes Congo and Zambia.

After two goalless semi-finals Saturday and only one goal in the third place curtain raiser, spectators who braved early winter conditions had to endure a largely lifeless first half between dominant South Africa and Mauritius.

Showing five changes from the team that pipped Malawi on penalties the previous afternoon, South Africa weaved pretty patterns without worrying Mauritian goalkeeper Jean-Francois Ammomoothoo.

But a miserable opening half for cautioned Mauritius defender Bruno Ravinah ended with him handling the ball under pressure from Petros Mahlatsi and Modise defied his youth by calmly planting the spot kick into the corner of the net.

The match was settled within 60 seconds midway through the second half as substitute Giovanni Jeannot wasted the only clearcut Mauritian chance with a lob that finished well off target.

And when Mauritius only partially cleared a cross at the other end of the pitch, a sweetly struck Modise volley flew past Ammomoothoo into the roof of the net.

Defender James Madilane struck the crossbar four minutes later while the 75th-minute substitution of Modise deprived him of a chance to become only the second South African after Benni McCarthy to score a Bafana hat-trick.

South Africa join Group A winners Mozambique and defending champions Zambia in the semi-finals with 2006 World Cup qualifiers Angola favoured to complete the line-up when Botswana stages Group C in July.