As you will see from the match report below I was of the firm belief that Bafana Bafana were absolutely magnificent against Brazil last night and are now as much a source of pride to the nation as our cricket and rugby teams. There is no doubt that Joel Santana has achieved this and with all due respect to those who came before, this is the first time we have looked like we don’t have to fear anyone.
Gone is the ill-discipline on and off the field, “the boys” did us proud.
That is my opinion and, like Gary, Terry and all the other presenters on SuperSport regularly do, I put it out there for debate. Needless to say the football team on SuperSport are superb and attract vast audiences to hear their opinions — presenters and experts.
Why then, in the name of all things holy, must Walter Mokoena be suspended for expressing an opinion? The SABC suggest that it’s because he has gone out of his contract by expressing his view that Santana is crap. His job description is “presenter” not “expert” according to them.
Are they suggesting that Mokoena has been hired as a football presenter but doesn’t know enough to express an opinion? Worse, are they of the view that viewers enjoy watching some SABC robot bore us to tears in case he offends anyone?
Get a life.
You can hear the viewers changing channel as I type.
Mokoena’s view of Santana is absolute garbage but he is fully entitled to express it without incurring the wrath of some know-it-all down at the SABC.
Forget the legal garbage, apologise and give the man his job back.
MATCH REPORT
With the US pulling off the shock of the footballing decade in beating Spain, last night 54 000 Bafana Bafana fanatics descended on Ellis Park to see whether the improbable was going to happen again. As in the case of the US, it seemed highly unlikely because previously South Africa have played the 5 times World Cup champions and 2 times Confederation Cup winners twice and on both occasions they were beaten.
This time Bafana were armed with a Brazilian coach in Santana who ironically had been the coach of Brazil’s current coach, Dunga, when he played for Vasco Da Gama.
That was all in the past, Ellis Park was here and now.
The match started slowly without a shot on goal in the first 12 minutes before two quick strikes, one for each side, from Ramirez (Benfica) for Brazil and Gaxa for Bafana, released the early tension.
The game then started to swing from end to end with Mokoena, on 29 minutes, missing a header from a free kick when it looked easier to score. The skipper, on his way from Blackburn to Portsmouth, knows he should have done better.
Both sides were committing to attack and Bafana were certainly not out of their depth. If anything they looked the more likely.
On 25 minutes Tshabalala warmed the hands of Cesar in the Brazilian goals when Parker was brought down outside the box. His free kick from 25 yards out was hit with venom.
South Africa were pushing forward in numbers and were looking lively with Brazil happy to hit them on the break. On 36 minutes Kaka shot wide from distance reminding Bafana that this was Brazil and they are deadly.
On 42 minutes Kaka again on the break unleashed an effort which brought a save from Khune who really looks like he is international class. Within a minute Bafana were down the other end with Pienaar unleashing a rocket from just outside the box which just flashed wide.
Masilela received the first yellow card right on half-time while gifting Brazil a free kick from 30 yards out. Santos fired it straight into a Bafana defender and it was half-time.
Resilience, ambition and total commitment from an exciting Bafana team leaving the Brazilians somewhat bemused as they headed for the change rooms. Tshabalala and Pienaar have been outstanding.
Brazil came out looking to establish control early in the second half earning a corner in the first minute. The ball was headed wide but the message was clear. Within 2 minutes Robinho let fly from distance — over the bar.
Brazil wanted respect.
Then it was a Kaka run down the left which Bafana squeezed out for another corner. Less than 5 minutes and Brazil were taking back control of the midfield they had surrendered in the first half. On 51 minutes a cross from the right is headed wide by Kaka.
As a Derby County fanatic of almost 40 years this was easy, I’m used to being under the cosh game after game. Mind you as a Bucs supporter it’s not quite as clear cut.
Anyhow, on 54 minutes Bafana’s first effort of the half when Tshabalala’s shot was blocked.
On 57 minutes a Modise shot takes a wicked deflection, which Cesar scrambles for a corner. This was the first of two corners in two minutes as Gaxa, Modise and Tshabalala are taking the game back to Brazil.
On 62 minutes, first Fabiano and then Robinho unleash efforts in the box without success. Bafana are still determined to take the game to Brazil and earn a corner on 66 minutes. The ball is curled over the goalmouth and out on the full. Bafana need to be more clinical.
It continues to swing from end to end with Fabiano unleashing a shot down the right from 25 yards out which sails way over the bar on 68 minutes
Bafana continue to ask questions with a Tshabalala swinging in a cross from the right which just eludes the head of Parker, 73 minutes and no substitutes as yet.
Both sides are trying to engineer a goal from distance which is a credit to both defences as shots go flying over the bar. Santana has made Bafana Bafana into a competitive international side with plenty of quality — no question about it.
On 86 minutes Mokoena concedes a free kick on the edge of the box. Daniel Alvez who came on as substitute on 80 minutes fires in an unstoppable free kick. Khune had absolutely no chance.
Ellis Park is finally silenced.
Brazil on 90 minutes nearly score again with Khune saving fabulously from Fabiano whereafter they run down the clock.
Brazil have earned their place in the final of the Confederations Cup and Bafana have earned the respect of the football fraternity; all in front of President Jacob Zuma and Fifa President Sepp Blatter.
Teams:
South Africa: Khune, Gaxa, Masilela, Mokoena, Booth, Mhlongo, Dikgacoi, Pienaar, Modise, Tshabalala, Parker.
Brazil: Cesar, Maicon, Lucio, Luisao, Santos, Melo, Silva, Ramires, Kaka, Fabiano, Robinho.
Referee: Massimo Busacca (Switzerland).
ugh, i really am getting tired of the whole “united states beating spain” being a major shock, because it really isn’t.
the usa is currently 14th in the world; at the 2006 world cup, they were ranked FIFTH (some people felt they were an overrated 5th, but still).
in the interim period since the 1994 world cup held in the united states, people poured serious money into usa soccer — and remember, in the united states, soccer is a sport of the middle classes, not the poor [unlike almost everywhere else, it must be said].
people who, you know, follow international football were not particularly shocked about this, once the americans started beating mexico on a regular basis.
i’m no fan of US soccer, but i do recognise that they have put serious $$$ into the sport, and thus the team have met the challenge.
*that* is the lesson that safa should be learn from the us-spain match.
now, about last nite’s game. it was interesting. it could have gone either way. i’m glad that it had a result at the end of 90 because i don’t think that bafana would have had another 30 minutes in them. the brazilians were annoyed that the formigas kept getting in their way, but i think that aet would have been problematic.
as for mokoena — i see that the sabc are as thin-skinned as their anc masters. no shock there.
As bad as the SABC might be (or is), this should not detract that, as a corporation, it has the set of practicing etiquette to which all its employees ought to adhere. It becomes incumbent on all employees to be gainfully cognizant of the code of practice that defines their work. Against this background, it is reasonable for the corporation to effect a suspension if there is a prima facie case of breach of protocol (thereafter a hearing to determine culpability or lack thereof). If the SABC believed that the presenter in question brought the corporation into disrepute, then suspension was a fair practice.
Protesting against a suspension following “expressing a view” clouds the issue of the need for employers to preserve the integrity of the company for which they work. Arguing otherwise would be tantamount to calls for the immediate reinstatement of brainless Majota Khambule (aka Phat Joe), who was axed by E.tv for reportedly uttering a statement, “the E.tv channel is similar to the Afghanistan under the Taliban”. This was Khambule’s view of the channel, but expressing it in the context that may have been seen as fuelling tensions between supporters and viewers of the E.tv channel and those that are ardent supporters of the Taliban (in the same way that Mokoena’s utterances may be perceived to sow division between supporters and critics of Santana’s squad) bordered on bringing his organization into disrepute. Suspension was justified, notwithstanding Bafana’s performance last night.
Never mind young Walter, I say. He was always second-best (or was that 1,087,998th?).
Bring back Robert Marawa (yeah, I know, I know), promote one of those ladies that the SABC keeps but underutilizes or scout some Talent (proper talent). I kept hoping that Wallllttter would grow on me and giving the poor guy the benefit of the doubt, but he never did.
And if everyone was fired for criticising their employers (occasionally loudly enough that third parties can hear), pretty much no one would be in a job. And since he didn’t criticise his employer the Phat Joe analogy is less than apt.
I do hope that the SABC inform the new broom of the rules – i.e. No Opinions Allowed. I think after a few months of No Opinions Allowed, I will be beseeching the powers that be for the return of High Priest Wallttter, as surely Soccerzone will be even more boring than it is now once the Talent has truly perfected the art of self-censorship to the extent of never being able to comment on any facet of behaviour, deportment or skill of a player, referee, coach, linesman, drinks carrier or anyone else, frankly.
I’m actually amazed that there was anyone left in the SABC to actually make a decision. That shows there’s someone with tenacity in there, huh?
I’m actually not sure whether Mokoena is the soccer host on SABC who is the sneering guy always ready with a snide comment, and who is a good reason to avoid SABC whenever possible anyway.
But as in Business Day, “fire the coach” is a very boring theme used by ignorant journalists/broadcasters, who usually report on games that no-one watches anyway, but are exposed for their incompetence in this international event.
It would be interesting to exactly what the attendance WAS last night. Traps mentions 54,000. Reuters pegs it at 48,049. A BBC on-the-spot commentator (blog/text) put it 45,000. And what is the present capacity of Ellis Park (Coca Cola Park)?
If the SABC believed that the presenter in question brought the corporation into disrepute, then suspension was a fair practice.
sentletse, is this a joke?
is it even possible to bring the corporation into disrepute any more than the current board — oh, wait, the board which was recently resigned almost in toto, with a ex-head who, by her own admission, “sucks as a leader”? that corporation?
come *on*.
Disclaimer – I’m not too much of a soccer fan, so what I say may be utter tosh!
I had the distinct feeling Brazil (who arguably sent their C-team with a few chocolate sprinkles to make them sound good) played with us a cat would have played with a mouse. Keeping it alive just to mess around with it. Brazil were good sports in letting some warm and fuzzy feelings get within the South Africans, but when it came to crunch time they turned up the heat and put a quick one past us to just to let us know that C-team or not, they are still Brazil and if you want to beat them, you need to be better than just an amped up home-team from saffrica ranked 72nd in the world.
Thanks for the Entertainment, Brazil, the end result was never in doubt. But the final may be a totally different story. That’s gonna be fun, the USA has a point to prove, and may just succeed in doing so.
The powers that be at the SABC are, in my opinion, cowards and incompetents of the highest order – they have managed to lose some of the best journalists and commentators in the country – John Perlman, Pippa Green, Jeremy Maggs, Moletse Mbeki to name but a few, whilst hanging on for dear life to the likes of Snuki who has played a significant role in that regard as well as aiding and abetting in the financial crash of the broadcaster. Notwithstanding all the negative publicity attached to the SABC, the powers that be continue to behave without intelligence, wisdom or insight in almost every department. They are saved by the few good journalists like Tim Modise and a couple of others – let’s hope they don’t lose them as well as they literally muddle their way through trying to run a multi billion Rand organisation. Eric M was dismissed for some supposedly “xenophobic statement” and I am sure his listener ratings were through the roof – what’s happened to Thabiso Mkweshla (sp??) – she seems to have disappeared or is she on holiday? It’s a circus at the SABC frankly – it’s probably a compliment if you get dismissed!