Goals from Aboudi Ongeuene and Kareen Yoh gave the visitors the win, but the South African women gave a good account of themselves – and know they can still call on five of their foreign-based players before the CAF Women’s Championships kick off on home soil in November.

The top two sides from that competition will go through to the 2011 Fifa Women’s World Cup in Germany.

Roger Milla – Cameroon

An emergency call from Cameroon president Paul Biya convinced Milla to come out of retirement at the age of 38 and lead the Indomitable Lions to the 1990 World Cup. The former African footballer of the year did not disappoint, scoring four goals and setting the trend for extravagant goal celebrations as Cameroon went all the way to the quarter-finals, still the furthest an African team has been at the showpiece event. Amazingly, Milla was back four years later, aged 42, to compete at USA becoming the oldest World Cup player in history. His close-range goal against Russia gave him another record, the oldest scorer at the finals.

Billy Meredith – Wales

The original ‘Welsh Wizard’ is credited as being British football’s first superstar. He played as an outside forward and was famous for taking to the field while chewing tobacco and later, a toothpick. Meredith represented Manchester City and Manchester United with distinction during a 30-year spell in the city, beginning in 1894. He attempted to start an English football trade union and also was embroiled in a match-fixing scandal while at City. It was alleged that he offered an Aston Villa player the sum of £10 to throw a game and the episode threatened to overshadow his legacy as an early great. On the international front he amassed almost half a century worth of caps for the Dragons, the last of which came on March 15, 1920 when he played at Highbury against England at the age of 45.

Stanley Matthews – England

The ‘Wizard of Dribble’ enjoyed an international career which spanned 23 years, from his debut in September 1934 to his farewell match in May 1957, making him the oldest player ever to represent England. The game ended in ignominious circumstances as the Three Lions went down 4-1 to Denmark in Copenhagen. A true legend of the English game, Matthews is revered by fans of Stoke City and Blackpool, the clubs for which he played between 1932 and 1965 and was renowned for his gentleman’s etiquette. Indeed, over 700 league games he was never booked. He won a solitary FA Cup during his playing days and was the recipient of the inaugural Ballon d’Or in 1956. Matthews also helped to foster the game in Africa, coaching a team called Stan’s Men in Soweto during his retirement and featuring for a Nigeria XI in Lagos in 1957.

Angel Labruna – Argentina

River Plate’s all-time top goalscorer with 293 strikes, Angel Labruna is fondly remembered in his homeland as one of the finest marksmen ever to have played the game. He experienced an international career spanning 16 years but, due to World War II and Argentina’s non-participation in 1950 and 1954, only featured at one World Cup tournament. That came at the age of 40 in Sweden, when la Albiceleste finished bottom of a group containing West Germany, Northern Ireland and Czechoslovakia. Infamously, the side chose to return to Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay, rather than face the wrath of Argentina fans at the airport in Buenos Aires.

Dino Zoff – Italy

Italy’s 1982 World Cup-winning captain made his debut for the Azzurri in 1968 and continued playing internationally until one year after the Spanish triumph. He led his side to glory aged 40, making him the oldest player ever to win the tournament and was praised by manager Enzo Bearzot for his calm assuredness and sportsmanship. Zoff is best remembered at club level for his exploits at Juventus, winning six Serie A titles, although he also had a long spell at Napoli. Named the third best goalkeeper of the 20th century, Zoff once went 1174 minutes without conceding a goal for la Nazionale. He entered coaching after his playing career ended, winning a UEFA Cup with Juve and taking Italy to the final of Euro 2000.

Pat Jennings – Northern Ireland

Another goalkeeper who played into his fifth decade, Jennings will go down as one of Northern Ireland’s finest ever players and he remains to this day their most capped. From the border town of Newry, he was one of the most high profile players to make the move across North London from Tottenham to Arsenal and his longevity surprised those at the Lane, who had believed his best days were behind him. Such was his importance to the national team and the high regard in which he was still held at Tottenham, he would train with Spurs after his career had ended, in order to remain sharp for the 1986 World Cup, Northern Ireland’s third and most recent appearance. He made his final appearance in Mexico against Brazil on his 41st birthday. Although he is fondly remembered for his goal in the 1967 Charity Shield, his finest moment was keeping a clean sheet as Northern Ireland shocked host nation Spain in a never to be forgotten 1-0 victory in Valencia.

Peter Shilton – England

The two-time European Cup winner has been immortalised as Diego Maradona’s fall-guy for his infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal during the 1986 World Cup quarter-final. Shilton is England’s all-time caps record holder, with 125 appearances to his name, playing at the 1982, 1986 and 1990 World Cups. He finished his international career at the third-place play-off in Bari against Italy at the age of 40, but played a further seven years at club level before retiring with over 1000 matches to his name. His England career lasted from 1970 to 1990, almost a generation’s worth of goalkeeping. His career, in total, went from 1966 to 1997 and included almost every honour the game had to offer at Leicester City and later, at Nottingham Forest, under Brian Clough.

MacDonald Taylor – US Virgin Islands

The most capped player in the history of the US Virgin Islands is registered as the oldest player ever to feature in a competitive international. Aged 46 and 217 days, Taylor lined-up against St Kitts and Nevis in a 2006 World Cup qualifier on March 31, 2004. Unfortunately for him, the game resulted in a 7-0 drubbing for the away side. US Virgin Islands have not had much success on the footballing stage; their top scorer, Kevin Sheppard, has two goals to his name and left to pursue a basketball career in Iran.

Hossam Hassan – Egypt

Egypt’s record caps-holder and record goalscorer, Hassan netted 83 times from 170 international matches over the course of a 21-year international career. The striker called time on his playing days in 2006 following a third Africa Cup of Nations triumph, on home soil, against Cote D’Ivoire. At that stage he had passed his 40th birthday and was co-captain of the team alongside Ahmed Hassan. His first continental win came in 1986 and Hassan also represented his country at the 1990 World Cup. At club level, he accrued a glut of honours with Al Ahly and later rivals Zamalek, the club he now coaches.

Kalusha Bwalya – Zambia

The Cercle Brugge legend led Zambia to second place at the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations less than a year after the entire Chipolopolo squad perished in an air crash off the Gabon coast ahead of a World Cup qualifier in Senegal. Bwalya had made his own plans to travel to the fixture as he was playing with PSV Eindhoven in Europe at the time and took a group of untried team-mates to a 2-1 defeat against Nigeria in Tunisia. Kalusha was the player-coach for a sequence of matches in the run-up to the 2006 World Cup and came off the bench to sink Liberia with a late-free kick in Lusaka, aged 41. A true great of the African game, Kalusha is the serving president of the Zambian FA.

As they meet again on Sunday in a friendly international, Augustine Makalakane’s team will have an even bigger advantage against the Cameroon.

Not only do they have home ground advantage, but the coach has two new inclusions in his Banyana team that are raring to go. Midfielder Gabisile Hlumbane and striker Betty Maseko will be expected to score the goals in the absence of reigning African Women’s Player of the Year Noko Matlou, rested because Makalakalane wants to test out these two.

Hlumbane, who plays for Kovsies FC, was surprised at her inclusion in the team. “I did not expect to be called up. I’m happy and now that I am here. I am hoping we will win on Sunday,” Hlumbane said.

“The coach is not scared to try new things, and I am sure he has picked his best team and not his best individuals to play the friendly,” she added.

Makalakalane was the mastermind behind the convincing victory last time and believes the team he has assembled is even stronger to record another victory against the West Africans.

“First of all, we will be playing on home ground, that will give us an advantage. And secondly, we have grown stronger since our last encounter with Cameroon. They are a good side, but we are prepared for anything that they will throw at us.”

Even though Banyana have been on a good run of form, beating Namibia 4-1 in May, and later demolishing Tanzania 6-0 in July, the former Sundowns captain should be worried. Cameroon were at the top of their game in their last match, an African Women Championships qualifying game two months ago against the Democratic Republic of Congo – they won 3-0.

Makalakalane will be rotating some of the players in Banyana’s friendlies in preparation for the African Women’s Championships in October.

“Our objective is to have a bigger pool of players to choose from; the team has extensive talent and we are trying to make use of all the players so we do not depend heavily on the stars.”

The national under-17 women’s team raised the bar in June by becoming the first women’s team in South Africa to play in a World Cup, and Banyana will look to follow suite.

They will have to qualify for the final at the Championships to earn a ticket to the World Cup next year.

Safa vice president Mandla Mazibuko said they are behind Banyana in their quest to qualify for the 2011 World Cup, and “we will support them to ensure that they make us proud in the continental championship (CAF)”.

“We want to see Banyana qualify for the World Cup just like Bantwana and our other national teams to show that the standard of SA football is getting better and better.”

Cameroon provides Banyana a good test.

The soccer-loving central African nation is determined to put order in their football house and recover the brilliance of the years past.

The four-time African champions saw their best moments in the 2000 and 2002 Africa Cup of Nations, winning both consecutive titles, but gradually grounded to lower positions in consequent editions. Coaches were changed, players were ejected, yet the Lions’ roar kept frightening fewer adversaries.

But the woeful aftermath of the Lions’ campaign at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa – where they became the first team to wear away from the tournament – shook a whole nation. The FA (Fecafoot), Sports Ministry, Fans, NGOs, etc; engaged themselves in weeks of diatribe, trying to accuse, trying to excuse, trying to deduce. Football, source of hope and joy for millions, had its course severely dwindled in glaring confusion, until sanity was restored.

The World Cup Coach Paul Le Guen was fired. Top members of the South Africa 2010 delegation were summoned by the Sports Ministry to reimburse their surplus bonuses. Team captain Samuel Eto’o and former country star Roger Milla, who had been reviling each other in the media – for reasons best known to themselves – downed their blows to think of a way forward.

After a long search for a veritable coach, fit for the situation, the choice stood on Spanish-born former Marseille and Real Betis manager Javier Clemente. In face of a desperate delegation, in quest of rapid solutions for its nation’s crumbling football, the 60-year-old was able to impose his will of signing a two-year contract (when the Fecafoot wanted four years) and to share his stay between Cameroon and Europe (when the Fecafoot wanted a permanent stay in Yaoundé).

The second step towards repairing the situation was to name two indigenous former football stars – François Omam Biyick and Jacques Songo’o to assist the Spaniard in his difficult task of reviving the comatose Lions. Just after that, highly-inspired Sports Minister Michel Zoah named former national team striker and 1980 African Footballer of the Year Jean Manga-Onguene as National Technical Director – a post many Cameroonians still can’t understand, but sports officials say it will be responsible for the development, implementation and adaptation of technical policies in order to optimise the performance and competitiveness of Cameroonian football from the grassroots level to the elite.

Internationale’s Samuel Eto’o’s position as team captain remains untouched – as you would imagine – however, he now has two assistants, Ajax midfielder Enoh Eying as first vice-captain while AS Monaco defender Nicolas Nkoulou, a second vice.

A number of adjustments and innovations to see the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon rule again have been done, we now await to test these reforms first, across the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers kicking off early September, where the Lions will be confronting dreadful adversaries in their Group E like Senegal and DR Congo – both of whom are reforming their structures as well. But Mauritius, the fourth member of the group, will be Cameroon’s first rival in Bellevue on 4 September.

Although deemed minnows, Mauritius can create great problems for the new coach and FA officials. If the Islanders could withstand the Lions, holding their own, then the two other stronger members of the group would do worst, throwing doubts in all what has been done to overhaul the football system in Cameroon.

According to FIFA’s World Cup laws, teams who fade out of the competition in the group stage are entitled to €8 million. The first instalment of €631,000 has been paid to FECAFOOT, according to Mveng.

He said the remainder, after disbursement, would be used for the training of young players, the development of sports medicine, the training of local coaches and football journalists and the development of sports infrastructure.

FECAFOOT’s second-in-command also announced the establishment of new rules and regulations, already submitted to the Cameroonian authorities, meant to govern the 11 teams in the country’s national football league.

Cameroon have hired a new coach, Spanish-born Javier Clemente, who will be leading the four-time African champions to the qualifiers of the 2012 African Cup of Nations. Cameroon are in Group E alongside Senegal, Mauritius and DR Congo.

Following the Lions’ recent debacle at the 2010 World Cup, former coach Paul Le Guen was fired and the Cameroonian football authorities went on the hunt of a new coach in Europe.

Former Atletico Madrid and Olympique de Marseille coach Javier Clemente, 60, was picked from the crowd, and he is expected to arrive in Yaounde on August 28 to sign a two-year contract.

The press conference, expected to pull local and international journalists, will be held at the Hotel Mont Febe at 10am GMT.

Clemente’s first task will be to revive a dwindling Cameroon national team ahead of the 2012 AFCON qualifiers which begin early September.

The 60-year-old, who has previous international experience with Spain and Serbia, returns to management after a short stint at relegated La Liga club Real Valladolid at the end of last season.

He replaces Frenchman Paul Le Guen, who stepped down from the role after Cameroon lost all three matches at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Clemente becomes Cameroon’s fourth coach since May 2009, with German Otto Pfister and Thomas Nkono having also been charge in that time, and will sign a two-year contract.

“Javier Clemente is the new coach of Cameroon. The signing of the contract will take place in Yaounde on August 28,” read a statement on the Cameroon federation’s official website on Tuesday.

“In his role, he will also be assisted by Francois Omam-Biyik. The former Indomitable Lion will serve as assistant coach.

“Jacques Songo’o, who served alongside Paul Le Guen as assistant coach in charge of goalkeepers during the World Cup, keeps his post.”

Clemente, whose playing career was cut short by injury in 1971, started coaching four years later and has been in charge of clubs such as Athletic Bilbao (three times), Espanyol (twice), Marseille, Real Sociedad and Real Betis.

He coached Spain between 1992-98, going to two World Cups and Euro 96, but lasted less than two years with Serbia.

His first task will be to help the Indomitable Lions to qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

Four-times champions Cameroon’s first game is next month away to Mauritius, with Senegal and Congo Democratic Republic also in Group E.

Confirming this over the weekend, the federation president said this would be done in order to correct the anomalies of age cheating, which has in recent time been the bane of sports development in the country. He added that handball is poised to set the pace in order to save the future of the players and the game in the country.
He further said that his federation has written to the sports ministry for the use of its facilities for the test, stating that anytime this week, the medical examinations would commence.
“Deciding on this course of action will definitely save the country any form of embarrassment that would follow a discovery of age discrepancy on the part of any member of the teams that we had sent out.

“We are existing in a fast-changing world and the only way for us to join the trend is to make sure that we do what is right and subsequently select the best players we are capable of, honestly, to represent the country in international competitions. This kind of right exposure will not only place them a step ahead of their peers but also encourage the upcoming ones to follow the line of honour through hard work and sincerity”

Another German candidate Volker Finke, who quit as Urawa Reds coach on the weekend, has also been mentioned as a possible appointment.

Football Federation Australia chairman Frank Lowy is holding a press conference this afternoon via video conference from Ljubljana, where the Socceroos are playing a friendly against Slovenia later tonight, and it is believed Osieck is in a frontrunner as Pim Verbeek’s successor.

Following a brief playing career in Germany, Osieck, 61, coached Fenerbahce in Turkey and Urawa Red Diamonds in Japan. He spent four years from 1999 as coach of the Canadian national side, leading them to victory in the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2000.

Osieck was Beckenbauer’s assistant when Germany won the 1990 FIFA World Cup.

Osieck would be an unexpected choice to take over as Australian coach. He was not mentioned among the many other candidates, which included former South Africa coach Carlos Parreira and Cameroon coach Paul Le Guen.

“I promise to be back next year for the second edition of the tournament. I want you to have the same spirit. I’ll try to bring Lionel Messi with me, I’m sure he’ll accept my invitation.”

Gifted with a lethal left foot, outstanding vision, near-unstoppable dribbling skills and sublime technique, Messi is a sight to behold.

Add in his explosive changes of pace, timing and nose for goal – a trait particularly in evidence in La Liga 2010 – and you have an idea why fans from Laikipia can’t wait for 2011.

“I can’t wait to see that world class player. He’s the best in the world. Mimi hupenda vile yeye huchenga wasee jo, (I really admire how he dribbles past players),” said William Muhinja from Central Rhinos, who was voted the tournament’s best player.

Historic day

After a rather disastrous outing with the Indomitable Lions at the 2010 World Cup coming against a backdrop of high expectations from Africans to perform at the top notch level, Eto’o drew incredulous gasps upon his arrival in Nanyuki.

“We were told to expect him but no one believed he would really come,” marvelled 22-year-old John Bosco Murithi.

“The young people thought it was another deception. This is like a miracle. It is a historic day for football in this area and will give new confidence to this whole region because almost nothing ever makes it this far up-country.”

Eighteen-year-old form four student Sam Gitonga concured. “Now that I have seen him Live,” he declared. “This will inspire me forever.”

He watched as Central Rhinos edged out Northern Elephants 7-6 on post-match penalties in the finals of the month-long tournament, met several soccer academy kids, dined to the soothing sounds of Kenyan songbirds, but Eto’o will live to remember Kenya mainly for the heroic welcome he received.

Conservation efforts

“The first edition of the LUC has scored goals on and outside the field. By bringing communities together, promoting environmental wellbeing of people here, has truly made a difference,” said Jochen Zeitz, founder of the Zeitz Foundation.

“When I get back to Inter (Milan), I’ll make sure I pass your regards to McDonald Mariga,” said Eto’o, before he boarded a Police van from the Nanyuki Municipal Stadium.