Must-win for Bafana

Parker tipped to extinguish The Flames
Bafana Bafana get a chance to redeem their tarnished image at the expense of rejuvenated Malawi in an international friendly at Germiston Stadium at 7pm tonight.
This comes after the down-and-out Bafana were beaten 1-0 by Guinea in a friendly at Atteridgeville early this month. Click here for more

Ronaldo wants to play in UK

Sao Paulo – Brazil forward Ronaldo is reportedly still hoping to join Manchester City once he is fully recovered from his knee injury.
“I have talked to Manchester City and I know the doors will be open when I have recovered,” Ronaldo said in Folha de S. Paulo newspaper on Saturday. Click here for more

CLICK HERE FOR SOCCERZONE

United sink Bucs

Embarrassing loss leaves Pirates rooted to basement
Newcomers Bay United notched the most famous victory in their history when they defeated Orlando Pirates 2-0 in a Absa Premiership clash in Port Elizabeth yesterday. Click here for more

War in Tshwane

As Muhsin Ertugral has said, Mamelodi Sundowns coach Trott Moloto has a headache.
But the Sundowns’ mentor, whose team returns to Super Stadium in a PSL league match against SuperSport United tomorrow at 8pm, is nevertheless the envy of most of the hapless coaches in the league. Click here for more

Now for the league

Kaizer Chiefs have laid a perfect foundation to challenge for the Premiership title after brushing aside Mamelodi Sundowns to grab the R8 million prize.
This is the prediction of Chiefs chairman Kaizer Motaung after his club won the maiden MTN 8 final. Click here for more

CLICK HERE TO GO TO OUR SOCCERZONE

Fifa entangled in legal mess

Bangkok – Soccer’s world governing body Fifa is entangled in a legal mess after the authority absolved Qatar of any blame for fielding an ineligible player in a World Cup qualifier.
Fifa’s apparent flouting of its own rules has sparked cries of condemnation after a naturalised Brazilian named Emerson, who had already represented his birth country at youth level, played for the Gulf state in their 2-0 win over Iraq in March. Click here for more

Chiefs fortified

Tinashe back for MTN8
The postponement of the MTN8 final between Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns came as a relief to Amakhosi, who will now be having their midfield protagonist Tinashe Nengomasha back in the team. Nengomasha was not available for the final that was scheduled for the Kings Park Rugby Stadium in Durban last Saturday. He was attending his sister’s funeral in Harare at the weekend. Click here for more

World Cup mascot Zakumi

Zakumi, a green-haired, yellow Leopard with a disarming, impish smile was unveiled on national TV on Monday night as the mascot for the 2010 tournament in South Africa. Click here for more

Red Devils won’t lose their shirts

Manchester – Manchester United are set to emerge unscathed even if shirt sponsor AIG (American International Group) follows US bank Lehman Brothers in going bust.
United have two years left on a club record four-year deal with the insurance giants worth £56,5 million . Click here for more

CLICK HERE TO GO TO OUR SOCCERZONE

Ferguson sees red

As Terry ban is overturned
London – Referees’ boss Keith Hackett has been defended after Sir Alex Ferguson blamed him for the decision to rescind Chelsea captain John Terry’s red card at Manchester City on Saturday. Click here for more

Give me Bafana job any day – Blatter

Fifa boss’ jibe calls Santana into question
Sepp Blatter would make himself available as Bafana Bafana coach if it were not that his term of office as Fifa president expires in 2011.
“It is unfortunate I’m not available,” he told the media at Ellis Park Stadium yesterday at the end his four-day visit to South Africa. Click here for more

Our players are shrinking!

South African players have grown smaller and smaller in stature over the years. That is why the Bafana Bafana team is devoid of bustling strikers that can bulge the net, says Irvin Khoza. Khoza’s observation came after Fifa president Sepp blatter raised concern that the national team was not scoring goals and had become increasingly mediocre since winning the right to host the 2010 World Cup. Click here for more

R8m carrot

Rich rewards if Downs win cup
Mamelodi Sundowns yesterday dangled an R8 million carrot for their players to beat rivals Kaizer Chiefs in the MTN8 final in Durban on Saturday.
At stake in this final will be the usual pride and prestige, but according to their spokesman Mahlatse Mphahlele, “as per tradition, Mamelodi Sundowns players will share the R8 million if they win the inaugural MTN8 against Kaizer Chiefs”. Click here for more

CLICK HERE TO GO TO OUR SOCCERZONE

Amakhosi stunned

A sending off, a missed penalty, five goals and a suspected broken nose – Maritzburg United’s first win in the PSL had all the ingredients of a drama.
The PSL rookies outsmarted the wasteful Amakhosi, beating them 3-2 at Chatsworth Stadium in Durban yesterday. Click here for more

CLICK HERE TO GO TO OUR SOCCERZONE

Amakhosi stunned

A sending off, a missed penalty, five goals and a suspected broken nose – Maritzburg United’s first win in the PSL had all the ingredients of a drama.
The PSL rookies outsmarted the wasteful Amakhosi, beating them 3-2 at Chatsworth Stadium in Durban yesterday. Click here for more

Golden boy

I changed the game: Ronaldo
Rome – Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo believes he changed the game by scoring 31 goals from midfield in the Premier League last season to win the European Golden Boot award.
“With this Golden Boot I have changed football a little. Usually strikers win it and I’m a winger,” the Portugal international told La Gazzetta dello Sport after receiving the trophy at a ceremony in his native Madeira on Saturday. Click here for more

Don't write off United

Igesund promises Chiefs tough outing
Maritzburg United could surprise a lot of people when they host Kaizer Chiefs in an Absa Premiership game at Chatsworth Stadium on Sunday. Click here for more

CLICK HERE TO GO TO OUR SOCCERZONE

Will blundering Safa do us a favour and fire this man!

We lost again. So what’s new? You may ask. Nothing as this is also part of the “bigger picture”!
Next time I hear anyone speak of this out-of-focus picture, I am going to scream. We lost twice in four days. Amen! Click here for more

SA soccer mourns

Condolences for hard-tackling former Moroka Swallows and Bafana Bafana defender Jacob “Bobo” Lekgetho, who died this week at a Lenasia private hospital, are pouring in and soccer people are heartbroken over the loss of this talented player. Click here for more

This is not good enough, Mr Coach

Out of sorts Bafana Bafana coach Joel Santana is beginning to sound like a stuck record.
After losing 0-1 to Guinea in an international friendly in Atteridgeville on Tuesday night, the Brazilian was once more on cloud nine that Bafana Bafana played well. Click here for more

Going for bust

Orlando Pirates intend starting the new Absa Premiership season on home soil with a win on Friday night to kickstart an early challenge for the championship title. Click here for more

Nees gets Safa post

German official chosen over local talent
The South African Football Association’s big bosses never cease to amaze. Safa has roped in German Michael Nees to work in the coaching education department headed by Kenneth “Continental” Kubheka. Click here for more

Bafana humbled

Another humiliation for SA

Bafana Bafana’s crisis under clueless coach Joel Santana continued at Super Stadium in Atteridgeville, Pretoria, last night after the 2010 World Cup hosts were shown the stars by Guinea, who narrowly beat them 0-1 in an international friendly. Click here for more

Mtn8 final sold out already

In what will certainly go down as a record at the Premier Soccer League, tickets for the MTN8 final between Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs in Durban on September 20 have been sold out. – Sowetan

It’s do or die

Bafana need to go on the attack against Nigeria
South Africans will be holding their breath hoping Bafana Bafana get that all important win over Nigeria’s Super Eagles at Port Elizabeth Stadium tomorrow.
Bafana Bafana are under tremendous pressure to get a positive result to enhance their chances of making it to the MTN Africa Cup of Nations finals in Angola in 2010. Click here for more

Spain top Fifa ranking

Zurich – European champions Spain held their number one status yesterday in the latest Fifa world rankings as it prepares to kick off its World Cup qualifying programme.
European nations dominate the rankings, with world champions Italy up one place to second as Euro 2008 runners-up Germany dropped to third. Click here for more

CLICK HERE TO VISIT OUR SOCCERZONE

McCarthy no fat cat

Bafana Bafana’s golden striker Benni McCarthy has rubbished utterances by Blackburn Rovers that he was “fat and unfit”, saying people must come watch him contribute to the demolition of Nigeria’s Super Eagles on Saturday. Click here for more

Soccer sale ends

Big deals and shocks galore
Paris – Ronaldinho, who left Barcelona for AC Milan, and Manchester City-bound Robinho were the two top names in football to have completed transfers during the summer.
Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Andrei Arshavin of Zenit St Petersburg had been tipped for big-money moves but that came to nothing. Click here for more

Nigeria in mean mood

Bafana Bafana are living in dreamland if they think Nigeria will fall for the first time in the 2010 World Cup-Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. This was the message from the Super Eagles after landing in the country in dribs and drabs for Saturday’s game at Port Elizabeth Stadium. Click here for more

Everton lose out on Nsofor

London – Everton have failed to secure a work permit for the Nigerian Olympic star Victor Obinna Nsofor.
The English Premier League side had hoped to take Nsofor on loan from Italian club Inter Milan. Click here for more

Packing the house

The Eastern Cape provincial government is pulling out all stops to get a full house for the game between Bafana Bafana and Nigeria in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
“We are mobilising support throughout the Eastern Cape,” said Noxolo Abraham-Ntantiso, MEC for sports and recreation in the province. Click here for more

Real lash out at Blues

Madrid – Real Madrid lashed out at Chelsea yesterday over the English Premier League club’s continued efforts to lure Brazilian striker Robinho away from the Spanish champions.
Real said it “profoundly regretted the behaviour of Chelsea’s directors who, despite knowing perfectly well the decision not to sell the player, have continued to make statements and gestures [linking the player to a move], even going as far as to sell shirts with the player’s name through their official website. Click here for more

No surprise!

Mamelodi Sundowns started the new season positively by beating Bloemfontein Celtic 1-0 in a one-sided Absa Premiership match at Free State Stadium yesterday.
The Brazilians’ deadly striker, Surprise Moriri, scored the only goal of the match with the game only six minutes old. Click here for more