There were some huge games in South African football last week. A couple of massive tests set to check exactly where on the rung South African football currently sits. The game against Nigeria, the current Champions of Africa, was always going to be a reality check for us. The game against Burkina Faso, runners-up to Nigeria in the last African Cup of Nations, should have been a proper test of our mettle, but they fielded a second string side. But the game that said the most about South African soccer. The one that gives us hope, that shows us what we can be when we get it right, is the demolition job done by Orlando Pirates on Zamalek.
Now to put it into perspective, Zamalek are by all accounts a 'Super Club' on the continent. Think the Barcelona or Real Madrid of Africa! The tiny star that shines so brightly, sitting perched on top of the Orlando Pirates badge… Zamalek have five of them! They also have three CAF Super Cups to their name, an African Cup Winners' Cup, 11 league titles, 21 Egyptian cups... Put it this way, if they held a tea party in Egypt, they wouldn't be short of silverware! But last weekend, they were certainly found wanting when they came up against Orlando Pirates.
So why was a club game more important for South African football than the two national team games played by Bafana last week? Well, against Nigeria, Bafana showed they could push the ball around, they showed they could compete physically with bigger athletes, but they also seemed to confirm that there is a perennial problem with South African football when it comes to scoring goals. Now many former Bafana coaches have said that scoring goals is where South African football falls short. That we don't have that killer instinct. That in the final third our delivery is poor. That our execution is amateur. Well, four goals later, and an Orlando Pirates side, a team made up entirely of home-grown talent, of South African footballers, took apart this Egyptian Super Club. And for the record, that is now seven goals in two games against two of the most successful teams on the African continent ever!
There are so many positives to come out of that game that there isn't enough space in this column to list them all. Firstly, a South African coach showed that he is as good as any in African football. Roger de Sa has shown that the big clubs in South Africa don't necessarily need a foreigner to lead them to continental glory, or domestic glory at that. That an accent and a coaching certificate from a foreign country doesn't automatically make you a better coach. That local knowledge and understanding of the South African footballer, and the bravery to let South African players think for themselves and allow South Africa's unique skillset to come through can be extremely powerful when fully unleashed. So, to Roger, hats off to you and your technical team, including Tebogo Moloi, who no doubt has a massive influence on allowing players to indulge their creativity. And also to the Iron Duke for putting your faith in local coaches and local players.
To the players that took to the field for Orlando Pirates - Senzo Meyiwa, Happy Jele, Rooi Mahamutsa, Lucky Lekgwathi, Thabo Matlaba, Tlou Segolela, Oupa Manyisa, Andile Jali and Lehlogonolo Masalesa who came on for you, Daine Klate, Sifiso Myeni and Lennox Bacela - lads take a bow! On that day, for those 90 minutes, you were perfect.
In fact, I would say that collectively you would have spanked Gordon's Bafana Bafana team that took to the field against Nigeria and then some. Tlou, your pace, your power and your confidence to finish like that with the outside of your foot - that's class, my man. Lennox, the way you brought the defender out, felt him and allowed him to get too close, dropped your shoulder to the right because you knew he would cheat and then rolled him to create space to turn into and stroke home - that's the kind of thing you see Van Persie do for Man United. But, of all of you, Daine Klate, what a player you have become. We have had a couple of chats about the fact that you like to keep it simple, that why the need for a shibobo when you can pass the ball past the defender and for me, the shibobo just excites me more. But watching your understanding of the pace of a pass, watching you pick out which side of a player to pass to rather than just hit a pass at a player, watching you think before receiving the ball. There is elegance in your simplicity. It was some performance, mate.
You Pirates lads made us proud to be South African football fans. Thank you for that. Thank you for bringing hope to South African football once again.
Shapa, Clint
Regards
Follow Clint on Twitter: @SoccaClint
