BY Obakeng Rachwene

Bafana not playing a warm-up before Ethiopia and Botswana

No friendly for Bafana

Posted: 2012-03-29 11:39

Bafana Bafana will not play a warm-up international before they meet Ethiopia and Botswana at the start of the World Cup qualifiers because coach Pitso Mosimane does not want to risk injury after a long season.

But Safa insiders have confirmed that there will be at least nine international matches in the second half of the year to prepare for the hosting of the 2013 Nations Cup.

A national team training camp will precede the matches against Ethiopia at home on June 1 and the away game against Botswana in Gaborone seven days later.

They are the first two of six matches in Group A of the African qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil. The other four qualifying games will be played from March to October 2013.

In the second half of this year, there will be friendlies for the national team each month from August until the start of the 2013 Nations Cup on January 19.

Bafana play against African opposition at home on August 15 although no further details of the game has yet been made available.

Then will follow two matches in September, both at home on the 7th and 11th which is a Friday and a Tuesday – following the new style of match days for international games in Europe.

In October there will be two more game on Friday 12th and Tuesday 16th – one of them away against a European team. It is a long-standing commitment, said the SAFA officials who could give no further details.

To play in Europe so close to the hosting at home of the Nations Cup will be questioned but Safa have decided it would a good experience for the team. Teams who do not have World Cup qualifying commitments in Europe in October include Finland, Northern Ireland and Poland.

Poland were in Mzansi in May 2010 just ahead of the last World Cup finals.

There is another international for Bafana Bafana scheduled on November 12 but that still has to be fixed. Safa sources said that would be at home again.

Mosimane had also asked his bosses for three warm-up internationals from just after Christmas when the team is expected to get together for the final preparations ahead of the Nations Cup.