Bafana to play friendly against Nigeria on August

搜索关注在线英语听力室公众号：tingroom，领取免费英语资料大礼包。

    This was the view of South African Football Association president Kirsten Nematandani while surveying the South African national team's remaining program for the year.

    Nematandani said on Monday the basic agreement for the game against the Super Eagles in South Africa had been signed and only terms remained to be settled for a match-up that falls within a FIFA period for international matches and should therefore attract the countries strongest available lineups.

    "Playing against Nigeria is always a special occasion for Bafana," added the Safa president. "And with South Africa ranked 38th in the world and fourth in Africa and Nigeriia 39th in the world and fifth in Africa the rivalry¹ will take on an extra intensity²."Nematandani added, "Perhaps even more significantly it will provide ideal preparation for the deciding African Nations Cup qualifying games against Niger and Sierra Leone in September and October."The Safa president said negotiations³ to secure a suitable Bafana opponent for the annual Nelson Mandela Challenge game in November were also at an advanced stage, but he did not comment on the candidates with the issue yet to be finalized⁴.

    The Safa president said while the proposed match between Spain and a composite African XI to take place in South Africa on June or July as part of the events to celebrate the 2010 World Cup had not materialised because of the world champions' busy program, the idea of such a game being staged in the future had not been abandoned.

    Nematandani also confirmed that an invitation for Bafana to play three international fixtures⁵ in South America this month was down.

    He said financial constraints⁶ and problems securing the release of the best players were the reasons for declining the invitation.(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)

分享到：