World Cup pressure reaching fever pitch

By Nomava Nobumba
10 June 2010

Pressure is mounting ahead of tomorrow’s opening match of the Fifa World Cup between Bafana Bafana and Mexico.

With an unbeaten streak of 12 games, the Boys are said to be in high spirits on the eve of the game.

Bafana Bafana team media liaison Mathlomola Morake says there is pressure at any level of professional soccer.

The team will have a final training session this afternoon at Soccer City in Johannesburg, but Morake added that the players have also been encouraged to relax as much as possible.

Meanwhile, with the Proteas preparing to take on the West Indies at the start of the Test series this afternoon, captain Graeme Smith says the players will be taping tomorrow’s opening game between Bafana Bafana and Mexico and watching it in the evening.

Smith says while they’re proud of representing the country on the cricket field, they would have loved to have been part of the action at home.

But the Proteas say they can feel the excitement thousands of kilometres away in the Caribbean.