Soccer: NZ's Olympic dream faces its toughest hurdle

By TERRY MADDAFORD

New Zealand's Olympic soccer hopefuls face one of the toughest tasks imaginable when they play the South African under-23s in the cut-throat playoffs.

The South Africans yesterday named a team short on household names here but oozing talent, especially in their dynamic strikeforce of Quinton Fortune and Benedict McCarthy.

Fortune, a near-$5 million buy for Manchester United, has played 12 times for the English premier champions this season, scoring four goals. As back-up for Ryan Giggs in the midfield, Fortune has had limited opportunities but has made the most of them, including playing in January's world club championship in Brazil.

With a dozen full international caps, Fortune will be the player to watch.

McCarthy, formerly with Dutch giant Ajax Amsterdam, is now at Spanish first division club Celta Vigo.

Other overseas players in the 18-man squad named by coach Ephraim Mashaba are goalkeeper Emille Baron (Lillestrom, Norway) and defender Aaron Mokoena (Ajax Amsterdam). A further six players, Fabian McCarthy, David Kannemeyer, Steve Lekoelea, Dillon Sheppard, Jabu Pule and Siyabonga Nomvete, played for a home-based South African side in their 3-0 win over Mauritius in a full international on April 29.

The South Africans, led by captain and defender Matthew Booth, arrive in Auckland on Sunday to prepare for the May 19 match at North Harbour Stadium. The return will be played at Johannesburg's Vosloorus Stadium on May 27.

The South Africans were quick to point out they had picked a "very strong" side determined to take no chances in their Olympic bid.

Soccer is huge in the Republic, pushing rugby well into the background.

The favoured sport of the Coloured majority - and many Coloured players are in the squad - soccer is under the spotlight in South Africa with that country's push to host the 2006 World Cup. A Sydney 2000 berth would be a giant step for the code.

New Zealand will also look to overseas players for one of the most important assignments facing the national side in the past two decades.

There are eight overseas-based players in the squad, including captain and All White defender Ryan Nelsen.

Along with Belgium-based Kris Bouckenooghe, Melbourne Knights striker Paul Urlovic, and Chris Killen, returning from Manchester City, Nelsen will be expected to shoulder a large part of the workload.

While New Zealand won through comfortably in the Oceania qualifying tournament, South Africa had a tough road in group B of the African championships. They beat Guinea, Cameroon and Ghana at home and Guinea away, but lost 0-2 to Cameroon and drew 2-2 with Ghana in the away legs.

Cameroon won the group and automatic qualification with five wins. South Africa kept their dream alive as the best of the three runners-up.

South Africa: Goalkeepers: Emille Baron (Lillestrom, Norway), Rowen Fernandez (Wits University). Defenders: Nkiphitheni Matombo (Manning Rangers), Matthew Booth (Sundowns) captain, David Kannemeyer (Ajax Cape Town), Aaron Mokoena (Ajax Amsterdam, Netherlands), Fabian McCarthy (Bloemfontein Celtic). Midfielders: Patrick Mbuthu (Kaizer Chiefs), Steve Lekoelea (Orlando Pirates), Jabu Pule (Kaizer Chiefs), Lebohang Kukame (Bloemfontein Celtic), Hendrick Gulwa (Bloemfontein Celtic), Dillon Sheppard (Ajax Cape Town), Quinton Fortune (Manchester United, England). Strikers: Daniel Matsau (Bloemfontein Celtic), Siyabonga Nomvete (Kaizer Chiefs), Benedict McCarthy (Celta Vigo, Spain), Nkosinathi Nhleko (Jomo Cosmos). Coach: Ephraim Mashaba.

New Zealand: Goalkeepers: Chris Marsh (Dunedin Technical), Robbie Barraclough (Nelson Suburbs). Defenders: John Foundoulakis (Greece), Ryan Nelsen (US) captain, Gareth Rowe (Central), Josh Stick (Central), Graham Pearce (University/Mt Wellington). Midfielders: Jeff Campbell (Kingz), Gerard Davis (US), Raf De Gregorio (Netherlands), Brad Scott (Central), Noah Hickey (Kingz), Blair Scoullar (Dunedin Technical), Mathew Urlovic (Australia). Strikers: Campbell Banks (Central), Kris Bouckenooghe (Belgium), Chris Killen (England), Paul Urlovic (Australia). Coaches: Ken Dugdale, Ron Armstrong, Ricki Herbert.