African Cup of Nations - Profile: South Africa

Eurosport - Thu, 17 Jan 16:55:00 2008

A profile of South Africa ahead of the African Cup of Nations - including past record, recent form and information on their players and coach.

FOOTBALL - Teko Modise, South Africa - 0

PAST RECORD

South Africa have played in every Cup of Nations tournament since they hosted and won it in 1996, but they failed at their first attempt in the qualifiers for the 1994 finals. At the last finals in Egypt, they went home without any points or any goals. They were runners-up in 1998.

RECENT FORM

A 2-0 win over Canada in November ended a dismal run of just a single victory in eight successive matches for the side, who have slipped dramatically down the FIFA world rankings over the last two years.

COACH

World Cup winning coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has been South Africa's coach since January, tasked with building a team for the hosting of the 2010 World Cup finals.

Parreira, who turns 65 in February, is the first World Cup-winning coach to take charge of a team at the finals.

PLAYERS

Teko Modise, 25, emerged as a late bloomer at the end of his first season in South Africa's domestic league to become the new star of the South African side. Since his debut in May has played 12 successive internationals and scored five goals in the process.

German-based winger Sibusiso Zuma, 32, is the oldest player in a squad where several other regulars have been left out to allow experimentation ahead of the 2010 World Cup.

Parreira has left out first team regulars Delron Buckley, Bradley Carnell, Benni McCarthy and MacBeth Sibaya to introduce younger players into a competitive tournament environment.

South Africa were the first of the 16 finalists to name their 23-man squad for the tournament, more than six weeks before their opening game against Angola in Tamale. It includes two uncapped players.

SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Rowen Fernandez (Arminia Bielefeld, Germany), Moeneeb Josephs (Wits University), Itumeleng Khune (Kaizer Chiefs)

Defenders: Brett Evans (Ajax Cape Town), Bevan Fransman (Moroka Swallows), Tsepo Masilela (Maccabi Haifa), Vuyo Mere (Mamelodi Sundowns) Benson Mhlongo (Mamelodi Sundowns), Aaron Mokoena (Blackburn Rovers), Bryce Moon (Ajax Cape Town), Nasief Morris (Panathinaikos)

Midfielders: Lance Davids (Djurgardens), Kagisho Dikgacoi (Lamontville Golden Arrows), Teko Modise (Orlando Pirates), Surprise Moriri (Mamelodi Sundowns), Steven Pienaar (Everton), Siphiwe Tshabalala (Kaizer Chiefs), Elrio van Heerden (Club Brugge)

Forwards: Lerato Chabangu (Mameodi Sundowns), Thembinkosi Fanteni (Ajax Cape Town), Katlego Mphela (SuperSport United), Excellent Walaza (Orlando Pirates), Sibusiso Zuma (Arminia Bielefeld)

Reuters