SAFA hail Comrades winner

South African Football Association president Kirsten Nematandani hopes Bafana Bafana can draw inspiration from Claude Moshiywa's achievement as they prepare for Saturday's 2014 Soccer World Cup qualifier.

 

According to Football 411, Moshiywa became the first South African in 21 years to win the Comrades Marathon after completing this year's run in five hours, 32 minutes and eight seconds on Sunday.

 

The country will now be hoping for more sporting success when Bafana travel to a neutral venue in Cameroon to take on Central African Republic in the first of two qualifiers in June.

 

Nematandani has now called on Gordon Igesund's men to follow in their compatriot's footsteps, telling The Sowetan "I would like to belatedly congratulate Claude Moshiywa for showing the South African fighting spirit and that this country is a nation of winners.

 

"Claude is an embodiment of South Africa's winning spirit and I want to take this opportunity to urge our Bafana Bafana players who depart for Cameroon and Ethiopia today (yesterday, Tuesday, 4 June) to take a leaf off Moshiywa's book that if you are determined in whatever you want to achieve, nothing is impossible."

 

South Africa currently sit second in qualifying Group A, two points behind leaders Ethiopia and two above third-placed CAR, while Botswana complete the standings with just one point from the opening three matches.

 

Igesund's side also head into the tie on the back of a convincing 2-0 friendly victory over Lesotho on Sunday, where Tlou Segolela's brace decided the tie.

 

Football 411