South Africa can 'kiss World Cup goodbye'

SOUTH Africa might as well kiss their 2014 Fifa World Cup chances goodbye, because Ethiopia will not lose to Central African Republic (CAR) in Brazzaville on Saturday, says Walia Antelopes and Bidvest Wits striker Getaneh Kebede.

But Bafana Bafana coach Gordon Igesund believes that the CAR will give the Ethiopians a tougher game than expected, and that South Africa have a chance to sneak through to the final home-and-away knockout round with a win against Botswana in Durban.

The 21-year-old Kebede was top scorer, and player of the year, in the Ethiopian league last season, and now he is making waves in South African football.

He has scored two goals in two games since joining Wits in July, including a superb back-heel through the keeper's legs in Sunday's MTN8 semifinal first leg against Platinum Stars.

More crucially, his 43rd-minute equalising goal against Bafana in Addis Abeba in June put South Africa under pressure in a must-win game, leading to Bernard Parker's own goal and a victory for the Walias that they believed put them through to the final round, sparking huge street celebrations.

A day later, it was announced on Fifa's website that Ethiopia had fielded a suspended player in a qualifier.

The three points docked for that offence have given Bafana an outside chance to progress, though Kebede believes it has only prolonged South Africans' agony at not reaching Brazil 2014.