BAFANA Bafana coach Gordon Igesund is a happy man after his young side managed a creditable 1-1 draw against a full-strength Morocco in Agadir on Friday night, saying the friendly was a "good exercise".
He fielded youngsters Siyanda Xulu and Mulomowandau Mathoho in central defence, and Sibusiso Vilakazi, Bongani Zungu and Daylon Claasen in midfield, in a fast-paced game where Bafana frustrated a capacity 42000 crowd at Stade Adrar.
"I think we played a very good game against very good opposition," Igesund told Sunday World yesterday.
"I think we got the balance right with the more senior players and younger players. We didn't allow Morocco to play to their strengths, especially down the wings. And I think they ran out of ideas because of that," he said.
Bafana took the lead through Tokelo Rantie in the ninth minute, with Issam El Adoua equalising in the 50th.
Bafana Bafana were due to play a training match against a club side tomorrow, but that has been cancelled and the team were to return to South Africa today.
"I wanted to play a top team, but none were available," Igesund said.
Meanwhile, the six-year marriage between the South African Football Association (Safa) and Absa, Bafana Bafana's main sponsor, is over, writes LOUIS MAZIBUKO
Safa said yesterday that it was not going to renew its sponsorship after the agreement ends in December. Relations soured when the banking group decided to reduce its sponsorship to 50%.
Safa will now cast its eyes beyond the country's borders to look for new sponsors to develop the game on the African continent.
Qualifying teams for next year's soccer World Cup so far are: Europe - the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland; Asia - Japan, Australia, Iran, South Korea; South America - Brazil (hosts), Argentina, Colombia; North and Central America -United States, Costa Rica. Africa and Oceania - no qualifiers to date.
