It was the first time that Bafana had played at the new multi-billion rand stadium where they face Mexico in the opening World Cup Group A clash on June 11, and they sent their fans home happy. They are now unbeaten in 10 matches under head coach Carlos Alberto Parreira.

All three goals came from the penalty spot.

Bafana had a case of stage fright in the first half. They struggled to get going against a side that showed they were not in Johannesburg for a holiday. Colombia showed why they a world top-40 side with a no nonsense display, and a particuarlly bruising opening 45 minutes.

But this was just the sort of match Bafana needed to get used to the style of play that they will come up against when they play Mexico in the opening World Cup Group A match. The two South American sides play a similar style.

The biggest surprise for the 75 000 crowd was the fact Parreira did not start with his star midfield player Steven Pienaar, who stayed on the bench until the start of the second half. The fans roared their approval when Pienaar came on at the start of the second half.

If ever a game cried out for Pienaar and a player of his class to take control of the midfield, this was it. The Bafana midfield was rudderless in the opening 45 minutes and lacked the fluency of Monday night where they more than held their own in a 1-1 draw against Bulgaria at the Orlando Stadium.

Bafana goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune was injured in the ninth minute when he bravely went for a 50-50 ball with Colombia striker Jackson Martinez.

The match was stopped for five minutes while Khune received medical attention.

Bafana were awarded their first penalty by Kenyan referee Langat Samwel Kipngetich in the 15th minute after he adjudged defender Cristian Zapata to have handled the ball inside his penalty area.

Colombia keeper David Ospina saved Teko Modise’s first penalty but his linesman spotted that Ospina had moved in what looked a bit harsh on the Colombian keeper. Modise succeeded with his second attempt to put the home side 1-0 ahead.

However, Bafana were hit by a sucker punch five minutes later when Khune gave away a penalty and was booked for bringing down Adrian Ramos. Giovanni Moreno blasted home the equaliser from the penalty spot.

Bafana midfielder Reneilwe Letsholonyane forced Ospina to turn his low, hard ground shot for a corner on 24 minutes. Then three minutes later the Colombian keeper denied Modise a goal with another good save.

Colombia lost midfielder Fredy Guarin who was injured in the 31st minute of the no-quarter-asked-nor-given first period and was replaced by Valencia.

Valencia came close to snatching the lead but his 37th minute free kick screamed past the woodwork.

Ospina did well again in the 42nd minute when he stopped another Modise shot. But Khune came to Bafana’s rescue in injury time when Martinez waltzed through the bemused Bafana defence, with the keeper holding his nerve to clear the danger.

Khune was replaced by Moeneeb Josephs at the start of the second half.

The rough Colombians paid the penalty again in the 58th minute when Katlego Mphela made it 2-1 from the penalty spot after defender Mario Yepes fouled Tshabalala.

The 75 000 home fans greeted the arrival of start striker Benni McCarthy with a huge roar in the 64th minute when he replaced the ineffective Surprise Moriri.

Bafana settled after taking the lead with Pienaar taking control of the midfield.

Josephs pulled off three great saves late in the match. He did well to fist away a dangerous, swirling free kick from substitute Camilo Zuniga in the 81st minute. Then he pulled off a stunning save from another well-struck free kick this time from another substitute Hugo Rodallega in the 90th minute.

He left the best for last when he palmed a Rodallega 20-metre thunderbolt for a corner deep into injury time as the never-say-die Colombians fought until the bitter end.

The Bafana World Cup road show moves to Polokwane on Monday night where the South Africans host Guatemala in their penultimate warm-up clash at the new Peter Mokaba Stadium.

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Bulgaria were the biggest test for Bafana in 2010 and showed that they are improving with every match.

The new-look Bafana have now gone nine matches unbeaten under Brazilian head coach Carlos Alberto Parreira who took charge of the ailing side last November.

Bafana played with passion, pride and committment and with a bit of luck could easily have beaten their more fancied opponent.

Bafana held the upper hand for most of a fast flowing opening half watched by an enthusiastic vuvuzelas blowing near capacity crowed of 38 000 that created an intimidating and lively atmosphere throughout the 90 minutes.

The home side took the initiative against the Eastern Europeans who looked set to sit back and soak up the pressure. The Bulgarians were physically bigger and stronger than Bafana but it was the home side who finished stronger.

The pitch looked in reasonable condition after the rugby Super 14 semifinal clash between the Blue Bulls and New Zealand Crusaders played here on Saturday night.

Bafana striker Katlego Mphela tested the shaky looking Bulgarian keeper Nikolay Mihaylov with a rasping free kick in the 11th minute that the Bulgarian number one managed to turn for a corner.

Two minutes later Mihaylov struggled with a well directed free kick from livewire winger Siphiwe Tshabalala that he somehow managed to scramble to safety after parrying the Bafana winger’s fierce shot.

Then Bafana captain Teko Modise tried his luck and again Mihaylov managed to block the Orlando Pirates playmaker’s shot in the 16th minute.

This was one of Modise’s best matches for his county. He led by example and controlled the midfield with authority. So well had Modise played and led the side that he kept the captain’s armband when regular skipper Aaron Mokoena replaced Sangweni at halftime. However, Modise was surprisingly replaced in the 69th minute by striker Bernard Parker who slotted into Modise’s midfield role.

Bafana were rewarded for their pressure when 20-year-old Siyabonga Sangweni headed home Tshabalala’s free kick in the 20th minute that had the fans bouncing with joy.

It was the tall central defender’s first goal for his country.

He has come on in leaps and bounds under national head coach Parreira. The goal virtually sealed the Golden Arrows budding stars place in Parreira’s final squad of 23, which will be named on June 1.

But the goal sparked the 39th ranked Bulgarians into action.

Bafana keeper Itumeleng Khune was called into action for the first time in the 24th minute when he dealt confidently with a shot from Ivelin Popov.

Then Valari Bojinov sent a screamer that skidded fractionally wide of the Bafana upright in the 29th minute.

Bafana paid for their over confidence and poor defending, which allowed Parma striker Bojinov to get behind the home defence and beat Khune from close range to make it 1-1 in the 31st minute.

Bafana came back strongly after the setback, holding midfielder Thanduyise Khuboni shot over the crossbar on 36th minutes. Three minutes later Mihaylov failed to hold a low hard shot from Reneilwe Letsholonyane. But Bulgaria were lucky as there was no Bafana played on hand to slam home the loose ball.

Then both Lucas Thwala and Tshabalala fired over the upright in the 42 and 45th minutes respectively as the home side pushed hard for a second goal.

Bafana right back Siboniso Gaxa started getting his range and crosses accurately into the Bulgarian penalty area in the second half and caused a few problems for the visiting defenders.

Bafana lost their way midway through the second half by allowing the Eastern Europeans back into the game.

Fulham midfielder anchorman Kagisho Dikgacoi who replaced the fiery Letsholonyane at halftime struggled with his timing and did not look 100 percent match fit. But this is exactly what these friendly matches are intended for to get the players fit and battle hardened ahead of the World Cup.

Bafana pushed hard for the winner in the late stages of the second half where the Bulgarians looked to be tiring. But to their credit Bulgaria never gave up held on for the draw against a more determined and hungrier opponent.

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The biggest losers were the 20 000 odd supporters who braved the cold wintery conditions to support their team who turned in a below average display.

It is now over six hours since Bafana last scored a goal and that was against minnows Madagascar in a friendly played in Kimberley in September.

New Bafana head coach Carlos Alberto Parreira goes into the Festive Season international recess with a major headache — how to score goals. And how to instil a sense of urgency into his players. Urgency was one of the main ingredients Bafana lacked in front of their enthusiastic Bloemfontein fans.

But at the end of a cold night Bafana’s performance was a huge disappointment giving the quality of their opposition.

Parreira has seven months until the World soccer showpiece kicks off on South African soil and after Tuesday night’s showing Parreira will have his work cut out to get this bunch of players anywhere near ready to take on the world’s best countries in seven short months.

Bafana showed plenty of fighting spirit when they drew 0-0 against highly-rated Japan in Port Elizabeth last weekend but failing to beat a make shift Jamaica shows that Parreira will be earning all of his R1.6 million per month salary during the next seven months.

Jamaica were there for the taking in the first half but Bafana could not capitalise on their visitors’ slow back four and sloppy passing.

Bafana were too casual, kept playing the ball sideways and backwards and wanted too many touches. Bafana also wanted to dribble and show off and, as result, they got nowhere in the opening 45 minutes against a limited Jamaican side that looked like they would be overwhelmed. They did, however, nearly shock their hosts in the 23rd minute, but Bafana skipper Aaron Mokoena did brilliantly to rescue the situation when he managed to scoop Dane Richards’s shot off his goalline.

Bafana started off confidently when Siphiwe Tshabalala threaded the ball to Katlego Mphela whose shot went wide after only two minutes.

Mphela, the Premier Soccer League and Mamelodi Sundowns’ leading goal scorer should have scored in the tenth minute when he was set up by Benni McCarthy.

But instead of firing past goalkeeper Dwayne Muller, Mphela managed to direct the ball from close range straight at the grateful Jamaican keeper.

It was all Bafana at that stage. Reneilwe Letsholonyane tried a right wing cross for his Kaizer Chiefs teammate Tshabalala, but the Bafana left wing failed to connect the ball at the far post in the 22nd minute.

A minute later the Bafana defence went walk about but the Bafana captain saved the day with a great stop on his goalline from a Richards shot that was heading for the back of the net.

At the other end, in the 25th minute Muller pulled off a stunning save from a powerful 25-metre free kick from McCarthy that had goal written all over it.

McCarthy, who struggled again as he did in the 0-0 draw against Japan in Port Elizabeth at the weekend, was wide of the target in the 35th minute. Unless he gets game time at club level he is not going to be an asset for the 2010 World Cup.

Jamaica’s only other goal-scoring attempt came from a free kick from Demar Phillips that screamed over the crossbar five minutes from the break.

Bafana were frustrated again after the break and despite having territorial advantage had no penetration in front of goals.

Bafana came close to breaking the deadlock when a volley by Kagisho Dikgacoi flew centimetres over the Jamaican crossbar on 67 minutes.

The match fizzled out after the Fulham midfielder’s tremendous volley and at the end of the night Bafana sent their loyal fans home disappointed.

For Parreira his first two matches in charge produced more questions than answers.

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At a packed media briefing, Brazilian born Santana was told by new South African Football Association president Kirstin Nematandani that he had given the unpopular coach a stay of execution.

“We met with Santana and his technical team on Wednesday,” said the new Safa boss.

“We are aware of the outcry about Bafana’s lack of success in recent matches. We told the coach that we expect him to start bringing back results.

“But we need to give Santana and his team our full support before we take the step of firing or not firing him.”

Most members of the media expect Santana’s head to roll if Bafana lose against both Norway and Iceland. However, Nematandani stopped short of saying that he would fire Santana if the team failed in next week’s games.

“We have not given Santana or his technical team an ultimatum, but we want to make sure that we have a competitive team to play in the World Cup next June,” he said.

In campaigning for the Safa presidency, the Football Transformation Forum, of which Nematandani is a member, said they would fire Santana should a member of the FTF win the Safa election last Saturday.

But it appears Nematandani and his followers are having second thoughts and are prepared to give Santana another chance to get the under-performing national side back on track.

Santana was also told to conduct Thursday’s conference in English. He normally speaks through an interpreter.

After 16 months in charge of Bafana the Portuguese speaking Santana’s English is still poor and difficult to understand. Few of the SA media could work out what he was trying to say when they confronted him and asked if he would resign should Bafana lose against Norway and Iceland.

Speaking his usual gobbledygook, Santana tried to squirm out of answering the question. He appeared to deny that he would quit, but it also appears that time is running out for the Brazilian.

He said, or at least it sounded like he said: “I have no problems with the new Safa president, I am simply doing my job.”

Safa chief executive Raymond Hack defended Santana.

“We are looking at the bigger picture and working towards the Word Cup. That is Santana’s mandate,” said Hack.

“We also decided not to use the interpreter because he needs to start speaking English at press conferences.”

Santana has again left out the two ‘bad boys’ – Blackburn Rovers striker Benni McCarthy and Spanish based central defender Nasief Morris – who were both excluded from June’s Confederations Cup for disciplinary reasons despite calls for their recall.

South Africa have lost six of their last seven internationals, and they played to a flattering 1-0 win over poorly prepared Madagascar.

The bottom line is that, while Safa are putting on a show of support for Santana, it is clear they will act swiftly when the time comes. That time could be next week.

The team assembles on Tuesday and departs in the evening.

Full squad:

Goalkeepers: Emille Baron (SuperSport Untied), Rowen Fernandez(Arminia Bielefeld, Germany), Moeneeb Josephs(Orlando Pirates).

Defenders: Siboniso Gaxa (Mamelodi Sundowns), Morgan Gould (SuperSport United), Bevan Fransman(Maccabi Netanya, Israel), Tsepo Masilela (Maccabi Haifa,Israel), Aaron Mokoena (Portsmouth, England), Anele Ngcongca (KRC Genk, Belgium), Siyabonga Sangweni (Golden Arrows), Lucas Thwala (Orlando Pirates).

Midfielders: Kagisho Dikgacoi (Fulham, England) Benson Mhlongo, Teko Modise (both Orlando Pirates), Steven Pienaar (Everton,England) Macbeth Sibaya (Rubin Kazan, Russia), Elrio van Heerden (Blackburn Rovers, England), Siphiwe Tshabalala (Kaizer Chiefs).

Strikers: Richard Henyekane (Golden Arrows), Mabhuti Khenyeza and Katlego Mphela (both Mamelodi Sundowns), Sthembiso Ngcobo (Free State Stars), Bernard Parker (FC Twente,Netherlands)

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Daniel Alves

This semifinal against the hosts was heading for extra time until Alves, in an inspired move by coach Dunga, replaced Andre Santos and broke the stalemate with a curling free kick in the 88th minute.

Brazil face the United States in Sunday’s final with South Africa heading to Rustenburg for the third-place playoff with Spain.

South Africa were without suspended midfielder Macbeth Sibaya, his place taken by Siphiwe Tshabalala, while Brazil midfielder Luisao started for injured Juan.

The two adversaries made it into the last four in wildly contrasting ways – Brazil sauntering through as Group B leaders with maximum points, South Africa edging through on goal difference as Group A runners-up.

With President Jacob Zuma watching, about the only one of the 48 000 fans not blowing into a vuvuzela, South Africa made a promising start as they fought to make their first final since the 1996 African Nations Cup.

Against the run of play Itumelang Khune was forced into action to save a Ramires effort while shortly after his counterpart Julio Cesar was in full flight to cover a long-range effort from speedy defender Siboniso Gaxa.

South Africa were giving as good as they got as Brazil tried to work the ball repeatedly down the left flank using Inter Milan back Maicon as the key link.

On 21 minutes they should have scored only for Tshabalala’s header off a freekick to go high.

As the half hour beckoned the Kaizer Chiefs midfielder unleashed a carefully constructed 30-metre freekick with only Cesar’s palm preventing the hosts taking the lead.

Down at the other end Khune safely held onto Andre Santos’s volley.

Kaka produced his first bit of magic as he darted through the South African defence but the Real Madrid forward’s curving shot drifted wide of the far post.

Brazil were fortunate not to go into the break trailing as Steven Pienaar had Cesar beaten with his stinging 35-metre shot from the right but the status quo was upheld when the ball edged wide.

The holders were not at their brilliant best against a South African side that were scampering after every ball as if their lives depended on it.

On the hour, with Dunga looking on pensively, Teko Modise’s close-range shot deflected off Luisao before hitting the beaten Cesar’s right post in a period of domination from Joel Santana’s side.

With eight minutes left and as extra time loomed Dunga introduced Alves into the fray and the Barcelona defender repaid the confidence when he beat the Bafana Bafana wall with a thundering freekick two minutes from time.

South Africa: 16-Itumeleng Khune; 2-Siboniso Gaxa, 3-Tsepo Masilela, 4-Aaron Mokoena, 14-Matthew Booth; 5-Benson Mhlongo, 13-Kagisho Dikgacoi, 10-Steven Pienaar (11-Elrio van Heerden 90+3), 12-Teko Modise (21-Katlego Mashego 90+1), 8-Siphiwe Tshabalala (9-Katlego Mphela 90+1); 17-Bernard Parker.

Brazil: 1-Julio Cesar; 2-Maicon, 3-Lucio, 14-Luisao, 16-Andre Santos (13-Daniel Alves 82); 5-Felipe Melo, 8-Gilberto Silva, 18-Ramires, 10-Kaka; 9-Luis Fabiano (20-Kleberson 90+2), 11-Robinho.

Referee: Massimo Busacca (Switzerland)

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After their limp opening draw, Joel Santana’s ‘Bafana Bafana’ finally tapped into a rich seam of form with goals either side of half time from Bernard Parker.

This was sweet redemption for the Serbia-based striker for it was he who had inadvertently blocked Kagisho Dikgacoi’s goal-bound header against Iraq on Sunday.

The man of the match said: “I’d like to thank my coach who showed a lot of faith in me by starting me for this game. I liked the way we played, full of confidence.”

Santana added: “We had to win this game but we played well in defence, midfield moved well and they were fast in attack.”

New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert was unhappy with his side’s showing.

“Some key players struggled to get going tonight. We’re still chasing that elusive point and that’ll be our priority on Saturday.”

The Rustenburg result in front of a near-capacity 40 000 crowd boosted the 2010 World Cup hosts’ prospects of qualifying for the semifinals as Group A runners-up behind Spain, who ensured their place in the last four earlier on Wednesday with a 1-0 win over Iraq.

While the permutations are plenty, South Africa, with four points, will guarantee qualification if they get a draw on Saturday with Spain – by no means inconceivable if they repeat this level of performance – irrespective of how Iraq fare against New Zealand.

If they lose and the Iraqis beat New Zealand then it will come down to goal difference.

After their nervy curtain-raiser this was a far livelier South Africa and part of the reason for that was the return from injury of Everton playmaker Steven Pienaar.

The South Africans turned up at the stadium dancing and singing and the party mood spilled over onto the pitch as they ran rings round New Zealand for much of the game.

They had the ball in the back of the net in the 11th minute only for Thembinkosi Fanteni to be ruled offside.

Ten minutes later they were celebrating the real thing with Pienaar playing a key role in a neat three-man move.

In possession the Everton star scrambled round like a dervish fighting off New Zealanders from all angles before finding Parker who flicked the ball on to Tsepo Masilela waiting on the edge of the box.

Masilela then rounded a New Zealand defender before crossing to Parker who swerved a left-footed shot into the top right hand corner with the ball glancing Glenn Moss’s outstretched gloves on the way in.

Santana must have felt a million dollars but on the surface the Brazilian was a picture of composure, delicately removing his glasses and placing them in an inside pocket.

He had them out again on the half hour mark as he watched South Africa almost doubling their advantage only for Moss to employ his big toe to great effect to divert Fantani’s forceful right-footed shot to safety.

New Zealand could count themselves fortunate they weren’t going into the break on the wrong side of a more lopsided scoreline such was South Africa’s dominance.

Masilela was instrumental in goal number two as well as he beat off New Zealand defender Dave Mulligan to cross from the left for Parker to shoot high past Moss into the top far corner.

The rampant hosts thought they had a third in the 70th minute but Katlego Mashego, who had replaced Fanteni, was flagged for offside.

A flurry of substitutions, including Parker who got a standing ovation, followed.

South Africa could have tripled or quadrupled their advantage in the closing stages but for some sloppy finishing and some desperate defending by the hapless champions from Oceania whose sorry Confed Cup record now reads eight games with no return.

Teams

South Africa: 16-Itumeleng Khune; 2-Siboniso Gaxa, 3-Tsepo Masilela, 4-Aaron Mokoena, 14-Matthew Booth; 6-MacBeth Sibaya, 13-Kagisho Dikgacoi, 10-Steven Pienaar, 12-Teko Modise; 17-Bernard Parker (8-Siphiwe Tshabalala 81), 18-Thembinkosi Fanteni (21-Katlego Mashego 61).

New Zealand: 12-Glen Moss; 3-Tony Lochhead, 6-Ivan Vicelich, 18-Andy Boyens, 17-Dave Mulligan; 7-Simon Elliott, 8-Tim Brown (4-Duncan Oughton 55), 11-Leo Bertos (16-Chris James 66), 14-Jeremy Christie; 9-Shane Smeltz, 10-Chris Killen (20-Chris Wood 75).

Referee: Benito Archundia (Mexico).

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