South Africa 1 Denmark 0: 12 games unbeaten and the hosts are ready for a World Cup sensation

SOUTH AFRICA’S extraordinary 1-0 pre-World Cup triumph over Denmark, ranked nearly 50 places above them in the latest FIFA rankings, has got the football-speaking world buzzing.

Katlego Mphela’s solitary goal in the 75^th minute didn’t really do his side justice. The South Africans, ranked a hopeless 83^rd, were growing stronger and stronger as the 40,000 yellow-clad fans were eased gently towards gleeful hysteria.

It wasn’t Everton’s player of the year Steven Pienaar who spurred the nation to yet another pre-World Cup triumph, nor should we focus too heavily on the other Premier League stars, Kagiso Dikgacoi of Fulham and Portsmouth’s Aaron Mokoena. It was the bit part players. The ones we English hacks have never heard of.

In goal, Itumeleng Khune was faultless apart from a single cross. His late save denied the Danes an undeserved leveller and his distribution is both fast and innovative. At centre-back, Bongani Khumalo continues to impress next to Mokoena, winning his 101^st cap, and out wide , Teko Modise deserves to be made a post-World Cup millionaire by the Premier League scouts.

In midfield, man of the match Reneilwe Letsholonyane and his Kaizer Chiefs team-mate Siphiwe Tshabalala were monumental. From the first minute to the last, the dreadlocked midfielders were prompting, passing, perspiring in the Highveld winter sun. And the great Danes, ranked 36 in the world, simply couldn’t cope. And among their number were Liverpool’s Daniel Agger, Christian Poulsen of Juventus and veteran Feyenoord front-man Jon Dahl Tomasson

Sure, they’ll have Nicklas Bendtner fit to play in their opening Group E clash against Holland Soccer City on June 14.

But even the towering 6ft 4in Arsenal striker would have struggled for a glimpse of goal on the day South Africa came of age on the international stage – at just the right time, given their tough Group A opening game against Mexico on June 11.

The key is not difficult to discern. Here it is, remember it well. Back in 2002, Dutch genius Guus Hiddink decided his South Korean side, mostly locally based, could only thrive if they were supremely fit. A bunch of journeymen who can run forever will punch way above their weight. Hiddink was so nearly proven right. The Taeguk Warriors reached the semi-finals on home soil and the nation rejoiced at their unexpected success.

For Hiddink, read Bafana Bafana’s Brazilian World Cup-winning coach Carlos Alberto Parreira. Since he returned to the hottest seat in football last November, South Africa have gone 12 matches unbeaten, leaving teams like Bulgaria and Colombia in their growing wake.

Three months ago, Parreira embarked on a camp to Brazil, promising to up the fitness levels. Unbeaten in their coach’s back yard, the uncelebrated members of the South Africa squad went off to Germany for further preparation. And then they returned to be joined by the stars who earn their keep overseas.

Some of the locally-based players have lost 2st in the process. They are, to coin a British phrase, “as fit as a robber’s dog”, capable of running forever, at altitude. It’s no wonder there was no room in the final 23 for West Ham’s less-than-svelte Benni McCarthy.

Perhaps Parreira should consider an Olympic role next. These guys look capable of serious middle-distance mayhem, Fulham’s Dikgacoi looked like a lumbering heavyweight by comparison.

When Mphela, latching on to a through ball from the eagle-eyed Letsholonyane, slipped his Danish defender to fire into the far corner with a quarter of an hour to play, it was a victory for blood, sweat and tears, not to mention a growing confidence, an ability to keep possession and an increasingly deft touch on the ball from players who ply their trade in a very average South African Premier League.

Parreira won the little golden trophy which means so much in 1994, surely he can’t do it again? He grins: “I am very proud. We want to keep making South Africa proud of us. I am not saying Bafana are going to win the World Cup but we need to get as far as possible. Once we get to the second round when it becomes a knockout tournament, anything can happen and I am happy to take my chances then.

“The players have shown fantastic commitment by buying into playing the ball on the ground, keeping possession and most of all getting 100% match fit. We are fighting fit and that has been the difference. Fitness played a key role in the training camps and we are getting the benefit of that. We are much more organised now.”

A seriously pleased Parreira, who has worked his men for up to six hours a day over the last three months, added: “We are now ready for the World Cup. It is not going to be an easy tournament for us because we are in a very tough Group A with Mexico, Uruguay and France.

“But this win and the way the players have played in all the recent warm-up matches has shown the world we can look forward with confidence to playing Mexico.”

Amid a chaotic press conference next to the perfect Atteridgeville pitch, Parreira told us in several different languages: “This was a tough, tough game for us. We played against a highly experienced and professional team. Make no mistake the Danes were good but we were a little better on the day and this rounds off my World Cup preparation beautifully.”

Captain Mokoena said: “Denmark are credible opposition. It was a brilliant win for us, they fought for every inch. The fact we have now gone 12 games unbeaten under this coach has give us massive motivation for the opening World Cup game against Mexico. We are good to go.”

They sure are. The World Cup hosts nearly doubled their lead in the 90^th minute, but Surprise Moriri's shot was deflected for a corner. A second goal would have been about right after a dominant display for short-passing possession football. And most spectacular of all, the way the South Africans tracked back when they lost possession.

Elsewhere, on the day Nigeria’s John Obi Mikel was ruled out of the World Cup, Holland’s Aarjen Robben suffered a suspected hamstring strain in the 6-1 win over Hungary while Australia were humbled 3-1 by the USA at Ruimsig near Johannesburg.

But forget all that. Look at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAZhxAVIwLU and see what kind of day I had. Just being there was a joy. From the smiling policemen before the match to the welcome at the local shebeen afterwards, you could not ask for a better atmosphere.

As I said to the British audience on talkSPORT radio afterwards, if you weren’t planning to come out, reconsider. I got my wife a flight two days ago, for £800 on South African Airways. The hotels still have rooms. There are still tickets and if you miss out on those, free fanzones in every city. This will be a fascinating, unpredictable World Cup, colourful and passionate. Don’t miss it. Please don’t let it pass you by.

Neal Collins is in South Africa promoting his first novel, A GAME APART, which is currently the 25^th best-selling African book on Amazon. For more details, see www.nealcollins.co.uk

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."

South Africa's World Cup preparations under a volcanic cloud in Germany

SOUTH AFRICA’S preparations for the World Cup may be going smoothly at home – but in Germany, where their team are currently lingering beneath the volcanic dust cloud, chaos reigns.

Carlos Alberto Parreira, Brazilian boss of Bafana Bafana, always had his work cut out. In charge of the world’s 88th best side (that’s two better than Iceland, but they can blame volcanos), they are by some distance the lowest ranked host nation in the history of the tournament.

But then their weekend match against Second Division Greuther Furth was called off. Monday’s clash with Third Division SpVgg Unterhaching soon followed. And nobody would comment. A stony silence as worried media tried to find out what was going on, whether this week’s matches against Eintracht Frankfurt and Nuremburg would go on.

Today SAFA chairman Leslie Sedibe, always something of a compromise appointment when he was surprisingly elected ahead of Danny Jordaan last October, said: "We are working very hard in an effort to address these problems and those responsible will be called on to give accountability.

“We are attempting to resolve the practice match issue from here and with the people in Germany. Our coach is using his contacts in Europe to get us matches.”

Hmm. You would have thought from the day Sedibe got the job six months ago he would have been considering his nation’s warm-up opponents. He’d have had June 11 ringed in red on the calendar by predecessor Raymond Hack, surely? After all, they won the bid to host the World Cup in May 2004.

But this is the team which was planning to use Esselen Park Centre of Excellence near Johannesburg as their World Cup base. Then they discovered in January it needed R16m (that’s about £1,6m) worth of work done. A brief inspection revealed the Kempton Park site was “run down and shabby”. So the hosts became the last team to officially confirm their base in February – they were planning to use Sandown High School while the other 31 nations headed for their purpose built training camps.

Now South Africa will prepare alongside Holland at Wits University – but only after a last-minute plea which saved the job of Sipho Nkumjane, the BafBaf team manager who is coming under pressure again today following the fixtures debacle in Germany.

Bafana's camp in Germany – coming hard on the heels of a similar trip to Brazil - will cost SAFA about £4m (R30m). And their vital trio of Premier League players – Everton’s Steven Pienaar, West Ham’s Benni McCarthy and Portsmouth’s FA Cup final-bound Aaron Makoena – aren’t even allowed to be there.

Sedibe, who was supposed to fly home on Sunday night like so many others, added: “Now the situation has been further aggravated with clubs in Europe having to reschedule their travel plans, using road transport instead of air travel, to get from one match to another.”

Their planned fixture with fellow finalists North Korea fell apart because the Koreans wanted to play the game in Spain, not Germany.

And the fiercely Communist nation - ranked 105 by FIFA, the lowest of the 32 nations - were also demanding an appearance fee.

Instead, South Africa hope to play European minnows Estonia (ranked No100 in the world) on Saturday and China (84th) in Furth on April 29. But don’t hold your breath.

They return home to play Columbia (39th) – their first game with their Premier League trio – at Soccer City on May 27.

And their last warm-up before their World Cup opening Group A game against Mexico (17th) will be against Denmark (34th) at Africa’s biggest stadium on June 5.

Some good news though. Siyabonga Nomvethe, the Moroka Swallows striker recalled to the 23-man squad for the trip, says: “The atmosphere is great here but the training is tough. We are enjoying every moment of it and so far so good in terms of our preparations for the World Cup.”

Grim news for South Africa and West Ham as Premier League gears up for whacky Wednesday

SOUTH AFRICA’S already frail World Cup hopes took an alarming turn for the worse this week with the news that West Ham striker Benni McCarthy’s 31-year-old knee may let him down before the big kick off against Mexico in Johannesburg on June 11.

McCarthy, who completed his controversial £2.5m move from Blackburn days before the January transfer window closed, limped off during his West Ham debut at Burnley on Saturday.

He had a glorious chance saved off the line in a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat - and is unavailable for the Hammers in their crucial Premier League clash against Birmingham tomorrow night.

My Upton Park source tells me: “Benny’s not looking good. That knee is a problem. South Arica may bfe in trouble if they think he’s going to be their major World Cup striker.”

The injury is not believed to be related to the knee injury McCarthy suffered against Fulham in November 2007 or any of the long-running problems which have ruled him out of so many internationals for South Africa in recent years.

But coach Carlos Alberto Parreira is insisting he will only pick a fully-fit McCarthy after his repeated spats with the Bafana Bafana (The Boys, The Boys) management.

When McCarthy left Ewood Park after refusing to train during his final days at Blackburn, former boss Sam Allarydyce insisted: “Benni’s not getting any younger. The legs are not quite as good but the talent is still there.

“When he came to Blackburn he scored 23 goals in his first year and hasn’t quite replicated that since.”

McCarthy’s problems add to Parreira’s woes – his side moved up from 85th to 81st in the FIFA rankings this week after friendly wins over Zimbabwe and Swaziland in Durban last month, but they remain the lowest ranked World Cup hosts in history.

While their cricket team celebrates crushing the world’s best Test nation India at Nagpur by an innings and their rugby Springboks hold the World Cup, the football side faces abject failure as they prepare for the biggest sporting event in the Rainbow Nation’s history.

Parreira is in England this week to encourage the Premier League clubs to release their players for a pre-World Cup camp in Brazil next month. With Kevin Pienaar sent off during Everton’s 1-0 defeat in the Merseyside derby defeat against Liverpool on Saturday, it’s been a tough trip

And things aren’t much better at West Ham, where new owners David Sullivan and David Gold – who were in charge at tomorrow’s opponents Birmingham until their buy-out last November – claim to have taken over a club heading for financial meltdown.

Sullivan said today: “One of the player facilitators, a guy who drives players around, is on £50,000 a year, the car park manager is on £70,000 a year. We’ve had to make redundancies and there are more to come.

“We are asking everyone to take a 25 percent pay cut at the end of the season – and any unhappy players will be sold.”

Boss Zola – who has picked up just six points in 10 games - hit out at the timing of Sullivan’s intervention as the club battles against relegation, but the new owners are unlikely to be deterred.

With the club £110m in debt following the Icelandic banking crisis which brought down the previous owners, Sullivan added: "Gianfranco is highly paid and I think all managers in the Premier League are overpaid. I can't believe the contracts I've inherited.

"The club is in a mess and we all have to pull together. If we go down, I can't even consider the situation. "It'll be Armageddon if we are relegated. It'll be worse than Newcastle."

Tomorrow night also sees huge top-of-the-table clashes in the Premier League with Liverpool travelling to Arsenal in the big battle for third place while Manchester United are at Aston Villa and leaders Chelsea go to Everton. And Portsmouth? The Premier's bottom club play Sunderland tonight knowing the club could be wound up in the morning. And that's not wound up as in "highly motivated" it's wound up as in "financially unviable".