The Sydney Morning Herald from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia • Page 94

smh.com.au Tuesday, September 19, 2000 FOOTBALL WATER POLO Ehf jjbnfj! Porning $eralb 11 HONDURAS AUSTRALIA Coach Mashaba the man with the plan behind South African elan No cause for panic despite defeat England-based pair Lucas Neill and Con Blatsis are hoping to get their first start of the Olympics when the Olyroos meet Honduras in their final group game at the Sydney Football Stadium tonight. The two players are the most likely options to fill the vacancy left by the suspension of skipper Brett Emerton. Coach Raul Blanco will announce his line-up late today, choosing to mull over his decision for another night. If Blatsis is the choice, Simon Colosimo will be shifted to Emerton's role on the right. If Neill gets the nod, Colosimo will stay in the middle.

Tonight's game is a dead rubber for Australia after their loss to Nigeria at the weekend, but for Honduras there is everything to play for. The Central American champions have been unfortunate in their two matches, but a victory over Australia could yet qualify them for the quarter-finals. Australia, for their part, are determined to salvage some pride, and the players chose to remain together despite enormous pressure from their European clubs to return. In particular, Mark Viduka will be keen to sign off his second Olympics with a goal, while Colosimo will be eager to convince a host of European talent scouts that his costly mistake against Nigeria was an aberration. Michael Cockerill FOOTBALL up an offer to join Australian club side Perth Glory, it was no surprise that the South African Football Association looked to Mashaba to fill the breach.

It has never been an easy relationship between the coach and his employers, but it has been a fruitful one all the same. Mashaba, 50, was a highly regarded player in South Africa. If not for the sanctions of apartheid, he would certainly have figured prominently for the national team during a career that ended in 1980 after successful spells with the country's two major clubs, Moroka Swallows and Orlando Pirates. Yet, if Mashaba's playing talents were respected, his temper was feared. And a man who was once suspended for six months for violent conduct as a player has hardly mellowed as a coach.

But while his battles with South South Africa's stunning success over Brazil in Brisbane on Sunday was no overnight sensation, but it was a defining moment worth savouring all the same. The seeds of a victory that has made headlines around the world were sown four years ago, when many of the players who triumphed at the Gabba first came together as a national team. It was also the start of a special relationship between firebrand coach Ephraim Mashaba and his players one that has provided the cornerstone of the team's emergence on the world stage. It was in Morocco in 1996 that Mashaba first called together the core of a squad to take to the African youth (under-20) championships, a tournament in which the South Africans eventually finish in second spot and qualified for the world youth championships in Malaysia Africa's football hierarchy are legendary, his prestige among his team has rarely been higher. Beni McCarthy, Quinton Fortune and Delron Buckley all readily acknowledge the influence Mashaba has had in developing careers that have now taken them to major European clubs.

Depending on how far South Africa progress at the Olympics, the likes of Fabian McCarthy, Matthew Booth and Siyabonga Nomvethe could follow. The victory against Brazil has certainly provided the platform, but South Africa must still win their final group match against Slovakia tomorrow night to cement a place in the quarter-finals. Amid the euphoria of a world-famous victory, wiser heads within the South African game are pointing out two key factors the job hasn't been done, and Brazil might not be as good as the world expects them to be. But that does not detract from the merits of a marvellous victory, one rightly described by Mashaba as the most important in the nation's short soccer history. Pace, mobility and skill were complemented by the self-belief of a team that seems finally to be aware of how good they could be.

Eleven of these players have already represented South Africa at senior level, suggesting more good things are on the way. Soccer has always been the sport of choice for most South Africans, but it suffered most of all during the long years of international isolation. What we are seeing at Sydney 2000 is the emergence of the first post-apartheid generation, a group of players drilled and inspired by a coach who knows better than anyone how much of an honour playing for your country should be. Michael Cockerill the following year. At the same time, the national Olympic team was being formed by coach Mich D'Avray, with several players dividing their time between the squads.

At the '97 world youth champion-ships, South Africa finished winless, including a 2-0 loss to Brazil in Kuching a match that involved of the players on the team sheet in Brisbane. Nonetheless, the team's potential was clear, and when D'Avray took NIGERIA ITALY WW r-Tf vzt T- 4 Final curtain of tears for Brazil's veteran scorer AGE: 33 Country: Brazil Home: Rio deJaniero Club: Vasco da Gama International record: 35 appearances, 41 goals Career highlights: 1991. '95. '99 World Cups. 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

Joint top-scorer 1999 World Cup Runner-up Golden Shoe (best player) 1999 World Cup. Hurt All -Hr-r I fr Jv1 C' 1 jk. 4 Zz irT I if I -V' LfSi WATER POLO Jake Niall Australia's coach Istvan Gorgenyi had warned us in that thick Hungarian accent. "There are five even teams," he said of the women's water polo field. But, caught up in the hoopla that surrounds all Australians vying for gold, we did not listen.

Yesterday, as the Australians suffered their first defeat of the tournament, 5-4 to the Netherlands, the coach's judgment was vindicated. If Gorgenyi thought -there were five teams with a chance of winning medals, he had also hinted that the world champion Netherlands might be the most troublesome opponents and serious obstacle to Australian gold. Until yesterday, however, the Dutch had been playing like a team with a bad hangover. They had been beaten 6-4 by the United States and struggled to put away rank outsiders Kazakhstan before finally prevailing 8-6. On one hand, the mercurial Dutch had lousy form.

The unfortunate flip side for the Australians was that the world champions simply had to win or they risked finishing fifth and missing the semi-finals. Little wonder that they jumped and embraced like lotto winners when the final horn honked. "They were desperate," said Gorgenyi. "That was their last chance to get back into the tournament." The defeat had brought the Australians "back into He said the first two matches, won convincingly by Australia, had created a false impression that they were ahead of the pack. He reminded us of his foresight.

"I always thought there are five even teams and no one team will walk into the final." Gorgenyi blamed poor conversion for the defeat, in which Australia managed only four scores from 22 shots, compared to the opposition's five goals from 13 attempts. The Australians' scoring proficiency was hurt by skipper and offensive dynamo Bridgette Gusterson's early foul trouble and spent much of the second half on the bench. While Gorgenyi refused to use his best player's exclusions as an excuse, the reality was that whenever Gusterson wore her robe, the Australians lacked a player, besides left-armed Yvette Higgins, who could penetrate the Dutch defence. Higgins scored three of Australia's four goals and, at one stage in the third quarter, seemed set to win the game by herself. The Australians had trailed 3-1 in the second quarter and were not so much treading water as sinking before Higgins scored the next three goals to give them the lead 4-3.

In the last quarter they kept bungling shots and opportunities, while the Dutch took their chances and goaled twice just after the last break. Neither team managed a goal in the final six minutes. It was a reality check, but in terms of the big picture there are no grounds for panic. Australia need beat only Canada or today's opponents, the United States, to be assured of a berth in the semifinals. And as Gorgenyi has convinced us, once four teams remain, anything can happen.

But today's match may be critical to the Australians' gold medal prospects in that another defeat would completely arrest the early momentum they had established. The Americans simply outclassed Russia last night, always seeming to have another gear when required in registering a 7-5 victory, while Canada beat Kazakhstan 10-3. Michael Cockerill A week ago Sissi strode out towards the centre circle at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, took a long, lingering look around the empty stadium, and cried. Cried at the realisation that these Olympics would be the last major tournament of a magnificent career. Cried in the knowledge that her days with her beloved Brazilian national team were numbered.

Cried for the friendships she has made and the precious moments she has shared. It is a bridge that every ageing athlete must cross, of course. The one that leads to their sporting mortality. At 33, Sissi is smart enough to appreciate what her b'ody is telling her. But it doesn't make it easy, knowing the journey of a lifetime is coming to an end.

On the field and from a distance, Sissi does not seem the emotional type. Crop-haired, unsmiling, intense. This is the woman who took the heads off her dolls as a child and used them as footballs. Who at the age of 14, and in a society that banned organised women's soccer until as recently as 1983, knew even then that the round ball would shape her destiny. Sissi's sense of dedication, and her single-mindedness, has made her one of the best players in the world.

A strong work ethic has also made her one of the most enduring. She was there when Brazil first formed a national team to take to China in 1988. And she will leave the team in much better shape than when she made her debut all those years ago against Australia. Her personal contribution to the Nigeria coach Jo Bonfrere believes the defending Olympic champions will overcome injuries, suspensions and tiredness to put Italy under pressure in the team's final preliminary match at Hindmarsh Stadium tonight. Bonfrere was critical of travel arrangements that left the Nigerians waiting seven hours at Sydney airport for a flight to Adelaide, but admitted he expected the players to be ready to produce the draw they needed to qualify for a quarter-final berth.

"Against Italy it will be difficult for us because we cannot play with our strongest team," he said yesterday. "But still we have confidence because we know what Nigerians can do when it is difficult: they know how to prepare themselves well." The delay was caused by aircraft mechanical problems. Nigeria will be without suspended Celestine Babayaro, who was sent off in the 3-2 win over Australia, while ankle injuries to Furo Iyenemi and Gbenga Okunowo also are of concern to Bonfrere. Italy coach Marco Tardelli is not looking beyond tonight's match, although his team have already qualified for the quarter-finals. Tardelli said it did not matter which team Italy played at the next stage, as long as they got the win the country expected against Nigeria.

"There's no preference for the next round," he said. "We are going out to win." Italy will be without striker Nicola Ventola, who has a badly bruised left eye after a clash with a Honduran defender on Saturday. But Inter Milan forward Andrea Pirlo, the goalscorer against Australia, will start after missing the Honduras match. JonathonCook CZECH REPUBLIC CAMEROON It's a matter of brushing up on the maths to try to make sense of the quarter-final permutations thrown up by the Kuwaitis' surprise defeat of the Czech Republic and Sunday's shock defeat of Brazil by a far superior South African squad. Even the hard-working Slovakians, who haven't won a game yet, aren't out of the running.

If by some chance they beat the South Africans, and Japan see off Brazil at the Gabba in Brisbane tomorrow, it will come down to goal difference. If all the planets line up in Slovakia's favour, we may see Brazil fail to reach the final eight. Before that, the fate of the four teams in group Cameroon, Kuwait, the US and Czech Republic will be decided. While the US face an energised Kuwait at the MCG tonight, Cameroon front up at the Gabba against a Czech Republic determined to set aside their humiliating defeat by the amateurs from the Middle East. The Czechs have to win and by at least two goals to have a chance of going through on goal difference.

A win for them and a US-Kuwait draw will leave three teams on four points. But Czech team manager Peter Fousek is optimistic. Keith Austin UNITED STATES KUWAIT The US, who have shocked many in the tournament with their draws against the Czech Republic and Cameroon, have no margin for error when they take on Kuwait, perhaps the biggest surprise packages of the tournament. Defeat or a draw would send this collection of US-based youngsters and veterans, sprinkled with a handful of European-based players, on the first plane home, while a victory would ensure they qualified for the quarter-finals. For Kuwait, an amateur group made up of students, oil industry and government workers who all play their soccer in the domestic league, the equation is much more straightforward.

Victory guarantees a quarter-final berth -perhaps even as group winners while a draw would most likely be enough to take them through. Defeat would end their Olympic adventure. Michael Lynch evolution of the sport has been immense. Which is why when the past and the future reached the inevitable impasse on a familiarisation walk around the MCG her life, quite literally, flashed before her eyes. "I can't describe the feelings that were in my heart," she said.

"Suddenly I knew, without a doubt, that this would be my last major tournament. "I was there in the bad times, in the early days when we had to struggle so hard. Now we have a good team, and a good future. "But we still have to win something of importance. I believe we have the will, and the confidence, to do it." Over the past decade, with Sissi's immaculate left foot guiding the team with unerring accuracy, Brazil has steadily emerged as the major threat to the established order of women's soccer Norway, China and the United States.

There was a fourth at the Atlanta Olympics, and a third at the 1999 World Cup where. Sissi finished as joint top scorer with seven goals. That makes an Olympic medal a realistic possibility. Sissi may still be waiting for her first goal at the Olympics, but in the games so far against Sweden and Germany she has proved she is not ready to be pensioned off just yet. Photo: Sebastian Costanzo Sissi showing her skills against Sweden at the MCG last week.

Matildas ready to mix it in must-win Brazil match For the Swedes, who drew with Australia and crashed 2-0 to Brazil, this evening's game is an all-or-nothing affair. Anything less than a victory will see them eliminated, and even a win might not be enough if Brazil beat the Matildas. The Germans are likely to face either the US or China, the two powerhouses of women's soccer, in the semi-finals. But Theune-Meyer was not bothered about who they have to face. "We are here to win a medal, and if you go to a semi-final you have a 50-50 chance whoever you play," she said.

the sort of side who allow you to play. The girls want to play some good football, and I want them to as well. It should be a great game." While a draw may be enough for Brazil to secure a semi-final berth, the Matildas have to win. The Australian team will draw some comfort from a record of two wins from the four previous meetings between the two sides, although Brazil won the last encounter 15 months ago in Portland. This game takes the Matildas into unchartered territory for the first time in a major tournament they have something to play for in the final match of the group stage.

"Usually by this stage we're already out of it, so we're further down the track than we've ever been before," said Tanzey. The 1-1 draw against Sweden last weekend handed the Matildas their lifeline. Veteran striker Julie Murray has again been ruled out with a strained hamstring, but otherwise the Australian camp is injury-free. Tanzey, however, is considering tinkering with his line-up, with Lisa Casagrande and Sharon Black both pushing hard for a place in the starting XI. Brazil will again look to veteran playmaker Sissi for inspiration, but it has been the form of workaholic midfielder Formiga that has caught the eye in their two matches so far.

Germany became the first team to guarantee themselves a semifinal berth when they followed up their opening victory over the Matildas with a win over Brazil. But the German team, the only one with a 100 per cent record in the women's tournament, are not about to take it easy in their final match, against Sweden today at the MCG, even though a loss will not affect their participation in the medal round. "We want to carry on winning matches," coach Tina Theune-Meyer said yesterday. "It's important to keep winning, to keep the rhythm going, to build up confidence for the semi-finals." WOMEN'S PREVIEW Michael Cockerill and Michael Lynch Few people outside the Australian dressing room give the Matildas much hope of an upset against Brazil at Sydney Football Stadium tonight and that suits the team just fine. "It's fair to say we're the underdogs, I've got no complaints about that," said coach Chris Tanzey.

"But the girls know they're in with a shout. There's no fear from our side of the fence, in fact it's a game we've been looking forward to ever since the draw was made. "We play better against the so-called better teams, and Brazil are Kffi Wife? 1 A I I Wi I 11 VI iHmH i it 1 CM.