Ethiopia v South Africa | Saturday 15 June | Addis Ababa | 15:00
South
Africa face a stern test in their hopes of qualifying for the 2014
World Cup in Brazil as they travel to Ethiopia to face the group
leaders. Bafana Bafana have done half the job with a slick 3-0 victory
on the road in their World Cup qualifier against the Central African
Republic last Saturday, but Ethiopia at altitude in Addis Ababa is a
much tougher prospect. The win at the neutral Cameroon stadium was South
Africa’s first away victory in a World Cup qualifier since 2008. Now
Bafana need another in hostile Addis Ababa, which is 2,400m above sea
level, against an Ethiopian side that have won both their home matches
against the other teams in the group so far. Ethiopia beat Botswana 2-1
in Gaborone on Saturday and top Group A with ten points. If South
Africa, on eight points, win on Sunday, they will have their destiny in
their own hands when they face Botswana at home in their final match in
September.
To Win (90mins)
Ethiopia 34/10
Draw 26/10
South Africa 17/20
Ethiopia
The Walia Antelopes continued their bid for a first ever World Cup
appearance last Saturday with that 2-1 away win over Botswana, to
maintain their position on top of Group A. Forward Getaneh Kebede put
Ethiopia ahead in the 33rd minute and Said Salahdin doubled the lead on
the stroke of halftime. Botswana's Sembowa pulled one back on 76
minutes but Ethiopia held on for a third consecutive victory.
South Africa
The South Africans remained in camp in Cameroon before leaving for Addis
Ababa on June 14, two days ahead of their clash with Ethiopia. "We have
to remain in Cameroon to deal with the issue of the high altitude in
Ethiopia," coach Gordon Igesund said. "Ideally we should be in Addis
Ababa at least twelve days or so before the match. But seeing that we
are unable to, we have to go in as late as possible, play our match and
get out before we suffer from high altitude." Igesund admitted the
altitude in Addis Ababa has him concerned. "Johannesburg is at 1,600m,
Addis Ababa is 800m higher. So there’s no air up there. I’ll try and
save the players with the way we play tactically. And I've brought a
team in which I have players who can change a game, like Richard
Henyekane and Tlou Segolela, if I want to go that route, and get players
in behind Ethiopia.”
The victory against CAR was all the more impressive given that Bafana
had travel setbacks — two cancelled flights saw them take three days to
reach Yaounde — and defensive injuries. "We’ve had good games, but I
think this was a good win," Igesund said. "I’m really pleased about a
lot of things. We’re not conceding goals, we’re scoring goals. In our
last three games, we scored three (on Sunday), two against Lesotho, two
against CAR in Cape Town." Bafana players have said the higher frequency
of chances the team is creating is due to the direct football Igesund
has instilled.
VERDICT: South Africa 17/20
With both teams having won their respective matches they will go into
this clash in high spirits and an end-to-end match is expected. Bafana
dominated the reverse match against the East Africans last year under
then coach Pitso Mosimane, but had to settle for a 1-1 draw. Under
Igesund Bafana look more formidable in attack and are tipped to rise to
the occasion and get the victory to take them one step closer to
qualifying for the World Cup.
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