Bafana Bafana recorded their most famous win in more than a decade when they beat the World and European champions Spain 1-0 in an international friendly match played at FNB stadium. Bernard Parker’s 56th minute strike was enough to see Bafana upstaging Spain on their return to the venue where they lifted their maiden World Cup title in 2010. Coach Gordon Igesund was excited with the victory but he is not getting carried away…
This was the first loss for Spain in an international friendly since November 2011 when they lost one-nil to England in London. Coach Vicente Del Bosque acknowledges that Bafana were a better team on the night…
Bafana’s wonderful result was marred by a controversial substitution that Spain forced after their substitute goalkeeper Victor Valdes got injured. The La Roja had exhausted their quota of six subs and by forcing Napoli’s Pepe Reina substitution they infuriated Igesund and there was then an ugly spat that went on for few minutes. Del Bosque says they got permission from the Lesotho match-officials…
However Igesund has distanced himself from this incident saying he never objected to the substitution but was sticking to the regulations of the game…
According to the Laws of the Game, "up to a maximum of six substitutes may be used in any match played in an official competition organized under the auspices of FIFA, the confederations or the member associations. • In all other matches, a greater number of substitutes may be used provided that: • the teams concerned reach agreement on a maximum number; • the referee is informed before the match. If the referee is not informed, or if no agreement is reached before the match, no more than six substitutes are allowed.
This was the second defeat for Spain this year following a 3-0 thumping at the hands of Brazil in the FIFA Confederations Cup final at the Maracana stadium in June. However Del Bosque denied that his team does not have a plan B when they are on the ropes…
President Jacob Zuma and former President Thabo Mbeki visited the dressing room after the game, they did not only join the celebration song but expressed their happiness with this magnificent result…Journalist: Velile Mbuli