2007 Men's African Nations Championship:


 Day 4

Egypt, Tunisia, Cameroon and South Africa to semifinal Spot

Durban, South Africa, September 19-: As the 16th African Nations Cup for men nears completion at the University of Kwa Zulu Natal’s Westville Campus Sports Centre in Durban, Cameroon, Egypt, Tunisia and host nation, South Africa have already booked their place in the semi-finals as the final surge is made to determine Africa’s number one men’s volleyball playing nation on the African continent.

The Tunisia-Botswana clash kick started the day 4 action at the Sports Centre. Although the North Africans did not really break a sweat, their experience and technical superiority at this level of competition assured them an effortless win against the contenders from Zone 6. Botswana’s straight sets drubbing (25-12; 25-14; 25-11) dashed their hopes of sneaking into the higher echelons of the competition.

In the second match of the day, Rwanda who lost to South Africa in a five (5) set thriller the previous night hammered Mozambique 3-0 (25-17, 25-22, 25-15). However, Mozambique will have gained enormously from the experience of having faced Africa’s best in this competition.

Although Zimbabwe did not make it to the knock out stage, they can return home with a sense of pride as they were not mere ‘push overs’ as predicted by some. Their match against Kenya, in which they lost narrowly (25-19, 25-17, 23-25, 25-19) illustrates that SA’s northern neighbours can rub shoulders with the best and not roll over and play dead in the face of rampant attack.

The match of the day was the top of the table clash between South Africa and the tall and strongly built team from Cameroon to determine who will head Group A.

South Africa’s chances of surging ahead to stamp their authority early in the set were dashed as they were faced with a rock solid Cameroonian defence. Only Thokozani Ntuli and SA’s ‘man of the match’, Patrick Klostermann had a measure of success when they past the Cameroonian blockers from time to time and put valuable points on the board. While ‘rookie’ international, Jamine Naidoo put in a creditable performance it was not enough to steer his team ahead of the highly motivated team from Cameroon.

It came as no surprise when the South Africans lost the opening set (25-18).

A solid all round performance from the South Africans in the early stages of the second set signalled Wassimy’s team’s fight back. Head Coach Wassimy’s tongue lashing at the conclusion of the first set seemed to have had its desired effect. For their efforts the South Africans were rewarded with a (8-4) lead at the first technical time out. Taking the fight to their opponents Wassimy’s men looked sharper and determined to turn the tables on Cameroon. However, the realisation that dawned on them that they had to win the set to stay alive in the match unleashed an adrenalin rush which sent the South Africans in to over drive.

The vastly more experienced team from Cameroon slowly began to wear the South Africans down as they closed the gap between them.

What set the two teams apart was that Cameroon were never afraid of going for the big hits all the time and their defence at the net was unflinching. With South Africa’s captain and main points maker, Andile Masinga ruled out of the competition through injury and the team’s next best attacker, Freedom Chiya retiring from the match in the latter part of the opening set, South Africa did not realistically have a chance of victory.

With the scores locked at (22- 22), it was the Cameroonian power attackers who stepped up to close the set with a blistering (25-22) win.

With Cameroon’s quick hitters posing huge problems for the SA defence and simultaneously the SA attackers were given little or no chance to keep their hopes alive in a set that was slipping through their fingers, the former wrapped up proceedings with a (25-19) score line to claim the number one spot in Group A.

Meanwhile the final round robin match in Group B, that is dubbed the dress rehearsal for the final on Saturday takes place tonight(Thursday) between arch North African rivals, Egypt, the current defending champions and Tunisia. The local volleyball pundits have predicted that the Egyptians who also play in the FIVB World League and have an excellent blend of experience and youth and the luxury of having the necessary depth on the bench will clinch victory. However, the Tunisian supporters have indicated that their team’s chances of lifting the African Nations Cup silverware have been given a major boost with the inclusion of their captain and playmaker and two attackers all of whom did not do duty for their country at the recent All Africa Games in Algeria.



Photo Caption

Tunisian Captain Ghazi Guidara setting



By Donovan Nair, South Africa Volleyball Federation Press Officer.