Johannesburg – Bafana Bafana were forced to cancel a training session in Swaziland on Thursday morning, because the artificial surface was too hot for the players’ boots.
Gordon Igesund’s side face Swaziland at the Somhlolo Stadium near Mbabane on Friday evening (kick-off 8.30pm) as part of Bafana’s preparations for the African Nations Championships (Chan) in South Africa next year.
At least the conditions in the evening should be cooler on the stadium’s artificial pitch, which caused problems for Bafana yesterday morning.
“Because they have Astro-turf and it has coals in it, and pebbles, it gets very hot. The players couldn’t walk because their feet were burning,” said Igesund on Thursday.
“We called off training and said we’ll go tonight. It was like walking on an oven.”
Igesund has a fully fit squad for Friday night’s game, with the exception of Daine Klate, who pulled out injured earlier in the week.
There are seven other Pirates players in the squad, fresh from the Champions League final defeat to Al Ahly last weekend.
“It is looking good, the spirit is high and all the players are here,” added Igesund.
Bafana, meanwhile, face world champions Spain on Tuesday evening at FNB Stadium (kick-off 9pm) with over 30 000 tickets sold for the game by early afternoon on Thursday.
Jacques Grobelaar, the CEO of Stadium Management, said they were expecting a capacity crowd of 94 000.
“We are looking forward to welcoming Spain back to Johannesburg,” said Grobelaar of the venue where Spain lifted the World Cup around three and a half years ago.
“And Bafana ... it is always a privilege to have the national team playing at FNB Stadium.”
Spain will face Equatorial Guinea in Malabo on Saturday, and are expected to arrive in Johannesburg on Sunday morning. Spanish media reports have suggested that La Roja will field more of a reserve side against Equatorial Guinea, and a stronger team against Bafana on Tuesday.
Sergio Ramos, Xabi Alonso, Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta and David Villa – all of whom started the World Cup final at FNB Stadium – are expected to start against South Africa.
Juventus striker Fernando Llorente, who was part of Spain’s squad at the 2010 World Cup, is also expected to be in the starting XI.
He told Spanish newspapers Mundo Deportivo that the side were looking forward to going back to the scene of their World Cup triumph.
“We return to a country that has given us so much,” said Llorente
“Since we were there we were treated in an amazing way (by South Africans), showing us who they are and giving us everything they had … it is nice to be back and we want to make a great game and give thanks for the great time there.”
The Star