By Staff Reporter

Banyana Banyana lost their opening 2013 Group C Cyprus Cup match 2-0 to South Korea but the gallant Sasol-sponsored warriors were far from being disgraced. The match took place at the Ammacostos stadium in Cyprus.

Having lost 2-1 to the same opponents last year and coming into the tournament highly confident that they would avenge the defeat against the Asians girls, it proved not to be as the speed and skill of the Koreans proved too much for Banyana.

Two goals at the beginning of each half was the difference between the two sides in the freezing city of Larnaca as Joseph Mkhonza’s charges allowed their opponents too much space and time on the ball while coming off second best in midfield.   

The African Women championship runners up found themselves a goal down following a terribly-taken goal kick by stand in goalkeeper Andile Dlamini.

Dlamini, deputising for Thoko Mndaweni, was given an opportunity to keep goals for the first time at a tournament with Banyana but lacking in confidence, she would not have been happy with her debut.

Her awful goal kick fell straight onto the path of dangerous Korean striker Ji Soyun who easily controlled the ball, shrugged off central defender Lebogang Mabatle before firing a low shot past the stranded Dlamini to make it 1-0 inside the opening 10 minutes of the game. That was the terrible start for Banyana as it set the tone for the rest of the game.

They easily lost possession and failed to close down their opponents and they paid a heavy price against the tactically astute Koreans. The midfield duo of Amanda Dlamini and Refiloe Jane didn’t make matters any easier as they struggled to have a firm grip in the middle of the park.

Towards the end of the first half, Mkhonza’s charges slowly got back into the match, thanks to some neat interplay between winger Mary Ntsweng and Noko Matlou but the latter’s effort was well saved by Korean goalie Kim Jungmni.  The agile keeper was to be tested later again by interim captain Janine van Wyk’s long range effort and Jermaine Seoposenwe’s low strike but on both occasions she brilliantly smothered the two efforts.

At the start of the second half, a through ball from the middle found Jeoun Eunha, who had time and acres of space to beat a poorly devised offside trap to lob the ball over Dlamini to make the score 2-0 and shut the match as a contest.

Despite an outstanding performance by Van Wyk, the two defensive mistakes were to prove the difference between the two sides. As the match went on and with Dlamini slowly growing in confidence, she pulled off some brilliant saves to make up for her earlier errors to keep the score at a respectable 2-0.

Banyana Banyana will have to vastly improve when they face Republic of Ireland in their second match of the tournament on Friday, 7 March.

In the evening kickoff after the SA and Korea game, fellow Group C opponents and neighbours Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland were set to face each other.

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By Obakeng Maje

Noupoort-The accused appeared briefly before the Noupoort Magistrate’s Court yesterday on charges of Brendon Tarentaal’s murder. 

“However the matter has been postponed for the 19 March 2013 for formal bail application” Lieutenant Sergio Kock said. 

“Suspects as minors were referred to a place of safety until their next court date appearance” police said

Kaizer Chiefs have appointed Goodnews Cadogan as their acting managing director, replacing Bheki Shongwe who stepped down a few months ago.

Little, if anything at all, is known about Cadogan but KickOff.com has been informed that Chiefs will introduce the man to the Amakhosi faithful after the Soweto Derby.

Cadogan has a Masters degree in Management from Wits, if his Facebook profile is anything to go by.

“They have been trying to keep it a secret until at least after the Derby,” a source says.

Chiefs’ Corporate Communications Manager Vina Maphosa couldn’t immediately comment on this latest development at the club.

For more details go to http://www.kickoff.com

By Obakeng Maje

Kimberley-Members of flying squad unit together with Bravo relief member nabbed three men and two women aged between 25 and 48 in the city after they fraudulently hit hard cellphones retailers in the city yesterday. 

“When they were asked about their origins they told the police that they are from Gauteng. They only came here yesterday to hit hard the retailers around Northern Cape, more particularly Kimberley” Lieutenant Olebogeng Tawana said. 

“Furthermore after they allegedly committed fraud in the city, they will be heading to Bloemfontein to continue their evil deeds there” Tawana said. 

“The suspects were in possession of more than five fraudulent Identity Documents, which they have been using to open credit accounts in many retailers including cellphones retailers” police said. 

“One of the suspects was in possession of two Identity Documents, which she depicted her ID photos with totally different names and ID numbers” Tawana adds.

One of the retailers alerted the police after becoming suspicious of an Identity Document which one of the suspects used to make a new application to upgrade the existing contract phone. 

The vigilant service provider noticed that something is not up to standard with the ID that the client had presented, and the applicant had already made a successful application from another retailer earlier during the day with the very same ID. 

The suspect was arrested inside the retailer while he was still waiting for the application to be processed. 

When the police interrogate him, he told the police that he is not solo in this scam.

 “He is together with his crew and they are waiting for him outside in a white Nissan Hard Body bakkie with GP registration number plates” police said. 

The police arrested his accomplices in a Nissan bakkie on the N12 just outside the Northern Cape Mall. Thorough investigation and search was conducted inside the bakkie, four fraudulent Identity Documents were found hidden inside the speaker box.

Expensive cellphones such as Blackberry Z10, I Phone 5, Motorola as well as Samsung SIII Galaxy phone, still sealed in boxes which they obtained from the retailers using the fraudulent Identity Documents were consficated. 

More than ten second hand cellphones, bank debit cards and credit cards also found in their possession were also confiscated as well as the Nissan bakkie.  

The suspects are due to appear the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court soon on fraud charges.  

Investigation continues.

Pirates have lost their last two competitive outings on the domestic football front, having been eliminated from the Nedbank Cup by Maluti FET College and subsequently losing 3-2 to Moroka Swallows in the Absa Premiership.

Despite their aggregate 9-0 thrashing over Djabal FC in the CAF Champions League preliminary round – read the full match report here – Bucs’ form of late has come into question. However, midfielder Oupa Manyisa is confident that the side will regain their championship form.

Tonight Bucs host Bloemfontein Celtic at the Orlando Stadium for their midweek league tie and Manyisa has targeted all three points on offer. He told Soccer-Laduma that although Siwelele are in good shape, they have to win these sort of fixtures if they are to defend their league crown.

He said, “We need to start winning again and keep on fighting for the defence of our league title. It won’t be easy from now as every team wants the three points. Yes, we lost to them in the first round game and we wouldn’t like that to happen tonight.”

“We want to make sure we start winning again and keep on the fight to defend our league title,” Manyisa concluded.

Follow all the PSL action tonight in the Live Scores section!

For more details go to http://www.soccerladuma.co.za

Stuart Baxter insisted, speaking to kaizerchiefs.com, that Orlando Pirates is not on the agenda as the Glamour Boys gear themselves up for a tough battle away in the Mother City, Cape Town, against Chippa United on Wednesday, 06 March 2013. 

Kick-off for the Absa Premiership clash is at 19h30 at Athlone Stadium. 

The Phefeni Glamour Boys have a tricky week ahead with a trip to Cape Town and on Saturday, 09 March they will host rivals Orlando Pirates in a mouth-watering top of the table clash. 

Preparations for this game have been all about recuperation. We are missing quite a number players due to injuries and suspensions but we are going there to fight for three points, said Head Coach Stuart Baxter speaking to kaizerchiefs.com on Monday evening. 

The Briton who has been credited as a catalyst for the consistency the Club has shown in the league this season believes that Chippa United will be a different side to the side that came through and left the FNB Stadium empty handed back in September last year. 

They have made quite a number of changes to their squad, new players, new coach and their approach to games has also changed. They will be totally a different and tricky playing in front of their fans. We have to be at our best. 

Baxter revealed his players are only focused on Chippa, The focus is on Chippa United. Our next game is against Chippa United. 

Chippa will get the attention they deserve. We are professionals it is expected that we show professionalism in our approach to each and every game we play. 

We are coming back from a game against Bidvest Wits where we dropped points which makes our next game against Chippa even more important than any other game this season, added Baxter.

For more details go to http://www.kaizerchiefs.com

Acting Northern Cape Premier Grizelda Cjiekella said the Northern Cape Government finances show a positive bank balance after paying down debt inherited from the previous administration. “We inherited a bank overdraft of R357, 736 million of which First National Bank was owed R109,765 million and the Reserve Bank R247, 971 million. The Province was on […]

For more details go to http://www.nctimes.co.za

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Trouble seems to follow social development MEC Mosetsanagape Mokomele-Mothibi after she apparently failed to meet her own deadline to return R174000 of state money used on a private trip.

Mokomele-Mothibi was arraigned before the provincial select committee on public accounts (Scopa) on February 19, where she conceded to have used the money and apologised.

She set out to return the money over a seven working days period. This lapsed on Thursday. In a media statement the MEC refuted wrong-doing.

Mokomele-Mothibi is quoted saying: “Nothing could be further from the truth as I only accepted political responsibility for the actions of my department’s officials – that of including themselves in my travel bookings without my knowledge and approval.”

She added: “I am committed to good governance, clean administration and accountability. Hence, when confronted with the allegations, I accepted responsibility as the head of the department and apologised. While I ensured implicated officials reimbursed the state, I (also) instructed that disciplinary action be taken against all of them.”

She also reversed her submission before Scopa that her friend, Mavis Kgosing, had benefited from trip.

For more details go to http://www.thenewage.co.za

Bafana Bafana and Oldham Athletic midfielder Dean Furman is confident that South Africa will qualify for the 2014 Brazil FIFA World Cup.

South Africa resume their “Road to Brazil” qualifying campaign when they take on the Central Africa Republic (CAR) on Saturday, 23 March 2013 at the Cape Town Stadium.

England-based Furman spoke to SAFA media officer, Matlhomola Morake about AFCON and the way forward in Bafana colours.

Matlhomola Morake (MM): Back in England, playing club football, how are things going?

Dean Furman: The relegation battle is hotting up, we have tough games during this period, very physical encounters and sadly we lost this past weekend but we have to keep fighting. The battle is on and I am hopeful we will survive relegation. The advantage is that we are playing teams that are around us, so it makes it a bit easier. Should I be selected for the CAR clash, I will miss the away match to Shrewsbury to be played on the same day (23 March).

MM: Have you recovered from the rigours of the AFCON tournament?

DF: Yes, I have recovered and have been playing regularly at my club. I only have great memories from the tournament and will take a lot of positives because the truth is we had a great tournament, so we must just build on that.

MM: How was the experience of playing in your first AFCON, especially on home soil?

DF: It was a proud moment for me playing in front of more than 50 000 fans at home wearing their Bafana Bafana jersey. It is something I never thought I would experience in my lifetime and I shall be forever grateful for the opportunity of representing my country on such a big stage. It was also a proud moment for my family and the tournament is one of the things that will forever stand out in my career for a long time to come. The people of Durban, where we played most of our matches, made this tournament a very memorable one for me and I would like to thank everyone for the memories.

MM: And the penalty miss in the match against Mali, do you still think about it?

DF: Yep, and that will probably stay with me for a very long time. The other day I found myself practicing penalty kicks again and thinking of what could have been….. “What if I hit it like this, or like that, or what if I had put it at this corner or that corner,” but it’s all in the past now and we have to learn from such experiences. Credit should also go to the Mali keeper for making the brilliant save. Funny thing is that I was one of the better penalty takers during our practice sessions at Bafana Bafana, that is why I was so gutted. I have to admit it was the worst way to exit a tournament when we were doing so well, but then again it’s such things that make us stronger.

MM: We are now facing CAR in a 2014 Brazil World Cup qualifier, what’s your take?

DF: It is a massive game for us and for the country. Now that the AFCON tournament is behind us, our next challenge is to qualify for the World Cup in Brazil. That is the pinnacle of football, the world stage where every player wants to showcase their talent. We hope the people of Cape Town and South Africa in general will come out in numbers to support us as they did during the AFCON. We also need to thank them again because it was through their backing that we were able to do well in the tournament.

MM: What should South Africa do to qualify for Brazil starting with this match?

DF: It’s a fact that we had a great tournament, so we have to continue from where we left off. Our performances were good and if we return to action with that mindset there is no reason we should not do well and find ourselves top of the group. We need to take the confidence from that tournament into the qualifiers. If you remember well, we started slowly against the Cape Verde Islands, were good against Angola, even better against Morocco and we dominated against Mali. That in itself shows we grew as the tournament progressed and it gives me confidence that we will do well.

MM: How should we approach the first game?

DF: We have some tough away qualifiers coming up in June (Ethiopia and CAR), so it is crucial that we win our home games, starting with CAR in about two weeks and Botswana in September. But also we should not be afraid to take our chances away because we have shown that we can win on the road as we did in Kenya last year. We are now left with four matches and should treat every one of them as key to our aspirations of qualifying for Brazil 2014. But I have great confidence in this team that we will qualify for this tournament.

2014 Brazil WC Qualifiers:

Group A

PosTeamPld W D LGFGAPts  

1Ethiopia211 0314  

2Central African Republic210 1223   

3South Africa202 0222  

4Botswana2011131  

2014 BRAZIL WC qualifiers

Date Venue Matches   

22/03/13 CTSouth Africa – Central African Republic  

22/03/13 TBA Ethiopia – Botswana  

07/06/13 TBA Botswana – Ethiopia  

07/06/13 TBA CAR – South Africa  

14/06/13 TBA Ethiopia – South Africa  

14/06/13 TBA Botswana – Central African Republic  

06/09/13 TBA South Africa – Botswana  

06/09/13 TBA CAR – Ethiopia