Story of the form book

Five-time champion Brazil is the favourite to win the first World Cup on African soil, according to a poll of international sports journalists. The team received 28.3% of the votes to edge out Argentina, with European champions Spain and England making up the top four.

Argentina and Barcelona world player of the year Lionel Messi dominated the votes of journalists and took almost half the votes of 200 journalists from 97 countries to finish as the tournament’s top scorer.

Bafana Bafana will not have to wait too long to find out how they shape up against the best. The South African Football Association has initiated negotiations with Brazil for a warmup game against the Brazilians on 2 or 7 June in the Orlando Stadium in Soweto.

Bafana may also take on Thailand in Cape Town on 31 May.

The might of South Africa will challenge China on 16 May in Nelspruit, and will meet the Bulgarians on 24 May at Soccer City in Johannesburg, as well as Colombia on 27 May at Loftus and the Danish team on 5 June at the Orlando Stadium.

At this stage, according to the Bafana barometer in the Sunday Times, South Africa’s finest 11 players for the opening fixture against Mexico on 11 June could be Itumeleng Khune, Siboniso Gaxa, Aaron Mokoena, Siyabonga Sangweni, Tsepo Masilela, Kagisho Dikgacoi, Thanduyise Khuboni, Siphiwe Tshabalala, Steven Pienaar, Katlego Mphela and Surprise Moriri.

Mphela showed some deft touches in the match against Jamaica as a striker, almost reminiscent of his great performance against Spain in the 2009 Confederations Cup.

Moriri may get the nod for second striker and fend off challenges by Bernard Parker and Benni McCarthy.

Parker has been in fine form for Twente.

McCarthy has vast experience but, says the Times, he lacks the fitness at this stage to be the frontrunner for Moriri’s spot.

Pienaar is arguably South Africa’s finest player, and is a winger capable of playing on both flanks, where he has done sterling work for Everton.

And what about the hard men in the South African camp, the players who would have to mark and challenge the brilliant Messi and other sharp shooters during the tournament?

Mokoena and Dikgacoi would fit the bill.

If Dikgacoi returns fully fit from the United Kingdom after contesting the Uefa Cup final, Carlos Alberto Parreira, coach of Bafana Bafana, will play him. The coach is a big fan of his.

Mokoena is a fearless and tireless worker. He has been compared to Lucas Radebe, and would be South African soccer’s version of Henri ("Lem") Honiball, who cut down opposition centres with his fearless tackles.

Mokoena would also be Parreira’s first choice as captain. Mokoena will no doubt do himself, Bafana Bafana and Portsmouth no harm by playing a key role in dismantling the attacking force of Chelsea in Saturday’s FA Cup Final.

Moriri could also be the 'surprise' of the tournament from a Bafana Bafana perspective.

He was a superb goal scorer in the match against Jamaica, and also scored against Ponte Preta during the Brazil camp in March.

He was crowned SA Player of the Season and Player’s Player of the Season for 2005/2006.

Moriri said the camps in Germany and Brazil have enabled Bafana to forge a strong bond. “When you are away from home, you realise that you need the person next to you. It also gives the coach the idea of how different players cope when they are away from home.

“The camps gave us a better understanding of the coach’s philosophy. It also helped us build an identity as a team and to learn to respond to different kinds of teams,” he told the Sunday Times.

The different teams that Bafana Bafana will have to respond to in the first round are Mexico (11 June, Soccer City), Uruguay (16 June, Loftus, Pretoria) and France (22 June, Bloemfontein).

Currently, South Africa is ranked 90th. France is the 10th highest ranked team in the world, with Mexico 17th and Uruguay 18th.

Moriri and Mphela will fulfil a vital role. If one of them can score early against Mexico in the first game, Bafana can ride on a tidal wave of passionate hometown support for the rest of the games.

As Moriri says: “The coach has always said to us to take it one step at a time. Our opening game against Mexico is crucial. We have to believe we can pass the group stage.”