Looking into the future: here's the scoreboard all South Africa wants to see

JUST though you might all like to see what's going to happen on Friday afternoon at Soccer City, when South Africa take on Mexico in the opening game of the World Cup.

The Group A rivals are a world apart in terms of rankings: Mexico are 17th, South Africa 83rd, but as our scoreboard - set up during rehearsals between two junior sides on Tuesday - shows, anything can happen in the World Cup's opening game.

Blimey, all three goals in South Africa's 2-1 win scored in five minutes. Going to be a cracker, and we can get away early to avoid the traffic (perhaps the worst aspect of my magical myster tour so far).

My favourite kick-off clash was France v Senegal in 2002. The holders were beaten 1-0. Even better, every Senegal player was based in France, every French player was based overseas. France went on to score no goals and no points as they crashed out.

Could easily happen to Italy, the current holders, this time, although I can't see Paraguay, New Zealand or Slovakia "doing a Senegal"... or "doing a Cameroon" if you think back to Argentina in 1990. The Italian press are saying this is the worst side they've ever sent to a World Cup. They clearly don't remember 1966 when they were pelted with fruit on their return to Rome, having been ousted by North Korea.

Given yesterday's scenes in Sandton - and around the Rainbow Nation - World Cup fever (or feva as the advertisers like to spell it) is upon us. Vuvuzelas, hats, flags and innovative mirror covers in your national colours.

Still, we all know what the press can be like. Even Fabio Capello is having problems http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENNPo6AF1Lo. Send them home, I say - the tabloid hacks and snappers, not the team!

They should try a touch of patriotism. So desperate are the Bafana Bafana media and bosses to ensure a vibrant opening (also known as a home win backed by blaring vuvuzelas), they've got spies in the idyllic camp at Thaba y Batswane near Johannesburg (not to mention the scoreboard at Soccer City).

On a run of 12 games without defeat since last November, assistant boss Jairo Leal tells us: "We will be well prepared, in fact very well prepared, and we have observers close to the Mexican camp helping us.

"We have good information on what is happening inside the Mexican camp. It helps us prepare Bafana for the big day on Friday. We have also done our homework by watching every Mexican game since they started their World Cup qualifying campaign right up until last week's friendly 2-1 win over defending World Cup champions Italy."

Gulp. That's Italy. The defending champions. One of 11 nations the Mexicans beat in preparation for South Africa 2010. And they were distinctly unlucky when they went down to England at Wembley two weeks ago.

Still. Have faith South Africa. The score is there for all to see.

The man who stands between South Africa and an opening disaster: Itumeleng Khune

ONE man stands between South Africa and a devastating opening defeat when the Rainbow Nation finally shows its true colours at Soccer City on Friday.

If Mexico are going to ruin the World Cup fever sweeping this nation, Itumeleng Khune – armed only with hope and a pair of gloves – is the man assigned to stop them.

On paper, it has to be El Tri, as the Mexicans know their team. They’re ranked 17th to South Africa’s 83rd in the world by FIFA. They have been strong in qualifying and boast a galaxy of stars (watch for Manchester United’s newest signing Javier Hernandez, West Ham’s Guillermo Franco and Arsenal's Carlos Vela up front and former Spurs midfielder Giovanni dos Santos) who would take the mediocre South Africa Premier League by storm.

But Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Khune, after witnessing 180,000 Vuvuzela-venting fans greet the team bus in Sandton yesterday, is having none of it. The 22-year-old, 5ft 11in stopper says: “Mexico should be worried about us. I think anything is possible with the nation behind us. We are more than ready for this World Cup. We will go out there to do our best for the country.”

He certainly has what every goalkeeper requires. Safe hands. As the son of a miner in Tshing, just outside Ventersdorp, he was ready to become a cricketer. One of six children, Khune idolised the South African cricketers – and still enjoys watching the Proteas. He says: “Shaun Pollock and Lance Klusener used to be my favourites when I was growing up. Back in Ventersdorp we used to have a rubbish bin as the wickets and use a spade as the bat.”

He only chose football at the tender age of 12 when Kaizer Chiefs – South Africa’s best-supported club - came calling in 1999. Khune recalls: “When we were kids we used to gather at a disused hall before classes and kick a tennis ball around. After school it was the same thing.”

Travelling to the Chiefs academy was a problem. He said: “My parents were not happy because I would only arrive home late at night. Sometimes I had to sleep at the train station as I couldn’t get home. There wasn’t food, there wasn’t money, but we had to accept the situation.”

Khune was a defender back then. He did well in trials – chosen as the 32^nd best player on the day, that’s still the number he wears - but chest problems relegated him to ball boy status. And his enthusiastic diving for the loose ball attracted the attention of Chiefs’ veteran goalkeeper Brian Baloyi “my mentor, on and off the field”. By 2004, aged 17, he was training with the first team.

Three years later, Khune got the nod as Chiefs’ regular No1 when Rowen Fernandez left for Germany’s Arminia Bielefeld and Emile Baron was forced out by injury. He made his local Premier Soccer League debut against Jomo Cosmos in 2007 and immediately impressed, forcing his way into the national squad where he made his debut against Zimbabwe in 2008.

A broken finger put Khune out for three months this season but World Cup-winning Brazilian coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has stuck with the lad who famously saved a penalty from David Villa during last year’s Confederations Cup.

Khune prepares to add to his 29 caps by defying Mexico – who are rapidly followed by Uruguay and France in a difficult Group A. The hosts have never failed to qualify for the knock-out stages at a World Cup but Khune insists: “Mexico should be worried about us as the hosts and we shouldn't be worried about them.

"We can go out there and upset these countries. It will be nice to take all the nine points in the group stage, but we have to realise the other countries won't make it easy for us."

I’ve watched Khune in all five pre-World Cup friendly matches since then, often with former South Africa goalkeeper Deshi Bhaktawer beside me. We had our doubts. He was groggy after an early clash in the 2-1 win over Colombia a fortnight ago and was taken off at half-time. But last Saturday’s 1-0 win over Denmark in Atteridgeville was a major turning point for the slightly lightweight goalkeeper and most of his colleagues.

While super-fit midfielders Siphile Tshabala, Teko Modise and Reneilwe YeYe Letsholonyane outshone their illustrious counterpart Steven Pienaar, Khune was near-perfect against the great big Danes in goal, failing to claim just one cross and looking generally composed. His distribution, innovative and rapid, has to be seen to be believed – a real lesson for any aspiring custodian.

South Africa go into the opening game on a high. They are unbeaten in 12 games since Parreira agreed to return to the hottest seat in football, they are fitter than any side I’ve seen – some of the players have lost 6kg (over two stone) since the first harsh training camp in Brazil three months ago.

Like Guus Hiddink’s ferociously fit hosts South Korea in 2002, Parreira has chosen the “fit as a robber’s dog” philosophy too. And remember, Korea got to the last four eight years ago.

Khune, like the rest of this football-mad nation, is starting to believe. He said: "We have the advantage of our home supporters, those who will be blowing the vuvuzelas at the stadium and the whole nation will be behind us. We have to believe we can win all three group games."

Neal Collins is in South Africa to promote his first novel, A GAME APART, which has hit No15 on Amazon's African best-sellers list. For more information, see www.nealcollins.co.uk.

Readers may be interested in this USA Today piece, published yesterday: http://content.usatoday.com/community/comments.aspx?id=38793306.story&p=2

Exclusive video footage of Monday night’s England friendly see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5CX4pb8Xmo.

Remember, it's never too late to book a flight and come see this World Cup for yourself. You'll be safe, secure... and you'll love it!

Victory over Jamaica, but do South Africa have a host of a chance?

WHISPER it, but the World Cup hosts may not be the pushover everybody's expecting in South Africa this summer. Last night, on neutral soil in Germany, the South Africans beat Jamaica 2-0 at Offenbach's Bieberer Berg Stadion—a much-needed triumph over a side 11 places above them in the latest FIFA rankings.

The Rainbow Nation's favourite whipping boys Bafana Bafana (Zulu for "The Boys, The Boys") went ahead after 52 minutes through a goal by the veteran striker Mohlomolleng Surprise Moriri, 30, and the even more experienced Siyabonga Nomvete, 32, added the second goal five minutes from the end.

Neither can expect to start South Africa's first World Cup clash against Mexico at Soccer City on June 11 if controversial West Ham striker Benni McCarthy, also 32 (above), gets the call from his homeland after weeks of speculation.

But last night's performance—without their overseas stars—was certainly an improvement from the lowest-ranked side ever to host a World Cup. Though they have qualified for two World Cups since resuming their FIFA membership in 1992 and won the African Nations Cup in 1995, the South Africans have declined rapidly in recent years.

Even FIFA president Sepp Blatter was expressing his fears earlier in the week after a drab 0-0 draw against fellow qualifiers North Korea over the weekend. He said, "If South Africa go on to play like they did against North Korea they won't qualify for the knock-out stages. No goals, no going forward."

But their fourth win in 16 attempts, and two goals after a considerable drought, raised hope of qualification from Group A, which also includes formidable France and unsung Uruguay.

Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira, whose side dropped from 88th to 90th in the FIFA rankings announced this week, purred: "That was much better. I enjoyed the game.

“They never gave us any time to rest throughout the match. I must say that perhaps in the last 12 matches we have played—including Paraguay—this was the most difficult and I appreciate it."

A weakened Jamaica were drafted in at the last moment when China pulled out as friendly opponents for the South Africans, who have been struggling to find worthy opposition on their pre-World Cup tour.

Parreira, who has yet to add overseas stars like Everton's Steven Pienaar, Maccabi Haifa's Tsepo Masilela, Portsmouth's FA Cup finalist Aaron Mokoena, and Fulham's Kagisho Dikgacoi to his squad, added: “My boys were ready for the challenge that was posed by Jamaica and we dealt properly with them, especially in the high balls and dead ball situations in which they are good.

“The game was very tough, but all in all I am happy with the performance of the team. It was much better than the one we put out against North Korea."

The one problem? Midfielder Teko Modise—the popular Orlando Pirates midfielder often linked with a major move to Europe—picked up a wrist injury. As he left the stadium with the limb heavily bandaged, he said, "I think I have a fracture but it still needs to be checked. It is very sore."