Brazil and South Africa name their starters for tonight: Khumalo to lead Bafana, Neymar in, Hulk out

Brazilliant: Neymar isn't scared, it's just his hairstyle

Confirmed: Bafana Bafana starting line-up to face Brazil in Sao Paulo tonight (live on SABC1, 8.45pm): Khune; Gaxa, Khumalo (capt), Sangweni, Masenamela: Dikgacoi, Furman, Tshabalala; Serero, Chabangu, Ndlovu.

Brazil : Diego Alves, Dani Alves, David Luiz, Dede, Marcelo, Oscar, Ramires, Lucas Moura, Romulo: Neymar, Leandro.

So, as the South African joke goes, there is nothing Kaka about this Brazilian side who will turn out against Gordon Igesund's first Bafana line-up.

Bongani Khumalo, the former SuperSport United title-winning centre-half, will captain South Africa in the absence of Everton's "injured" Steven Pienaar with Siphiwe Tshabalala as vice-captain. Khumalo arrived late in Brazil from PAOK, the financially-strapped Greek club he joined after a disastrous year at Tottenham Hotspur.

Under FIFA international friendly rules, both sides can sit their entire squads on the bench for tonight's game, with six substitutes allowed each, allowing Igesund to call on his untried youngsters - or veteran goal-poacher Benni McCarthy.

Khumalo lines up next to my preferred choice as skipper, Orlando Pirates player of the season Siya Sangweni, with Sibuniso Gaxa and Punch Masenamela filling the full-back slots ahead of Peterborough's emerging 18-year-old Kgosi Nthle.

Though the side trained in a 4-4-1-1 formation, Igesund has plumped for just three in his midfield: English Championship pair Kagiso Dikgacoi of Crystal Palace and Oldham's Dean Furman, who will make his debut. Siphiwe Tshablala plays wide.

Cape Town-born Furman, an unused sub for Joel Santana against Australia in 2008, said: "I've always dreamt of this, it's a great honour. I lived in South Africa until I was five, my family are still there. It's a very proud moment. I hope I can do myself justice."

Thulani Serero, who moved from Cape Town to Amsterdam with Ajax and scored twice against Herenveen last Saturday, is named as a striker, though he may also fulfil a wide role if Igesund does as promised and attacks down both flanks.

That leaves in-form Moroka Swallows goal-getter Lerato Chabangu and Maccabi Haifa's top-scorer Dino Ndlovu up front. It's an attacking, innovative side, if offer no critique of Gordon's first selection. Hard to say how they'll gel together.

What we do know is that, in Brazil, it's Sete de Setembro, the biggest public holiday of the year. We also know only about half of the 67,000 tickets for the Estadio do Morumbi have been sold as boss Mano Menezes attempts to lift Brazil from an all-time low of 12th in the FIFA world rankings.

Still, with England - who play Moldova tonight in a World Cup qualifier - ranked third, perhaps we shouldn't worry too much about a ranking system which puts South Africa down in a gloomy 74th.

In his effort to prove himself capable of running the five-times World Cup winners at the Brazil World Cup in 2014, Menezes has picked a side around the fabulous Neymar da Silva Santos Junior.

Better known simply as Neymar, there is no question the 20-year-old South American Footballer of the Year will soon be right up there with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the galaxy of global dominators.

Still plying his trade locally with Pele's old club Santos, he scored a hat-trick against local club Sao Paulo in April and will be up front with Internacional striker Leandro attempting to dismantle an South African defence dominated by Orlando Pirates player of the year Siya Sangweni.

That means there's no starting place for the incredible Hulk, the record-breaking Porto striker who has just completed a R360m move to Zenit St Petersburg.

The 26-year-old (real name Givnildo Vieira de Souza) insists: "I won't be hiding just because I'll be playing in Russia, these days all league are very visible. I'm sure Mano will be watching the Russian League, just as he does the English, Spanish and Italian.

"I just have to keep doing my job and taking my international chances."

Menezes's team boasts a total of just 170 caps - Barcelona's experienced Dani Alves passed a fitness test on his dodgy thigh to take his place a right back with Real Madrid's Marcelo at left-back. In the centre of defence, Chelsea's David Luis will be joined by Vasco Da Gama's Dede.

Sao Paulo's sought-after Lucas Moura, the local hero, dominates the midfield selecao with Chelsea pair Ramires and Oscar along with Spartak Moscow winger Romulo. Valenicia's Diego Alves takes his place in goal.

Look, it's a good side. But it's youngish and still developing. This is not the best bunch of Brazilians we have ever seen. And with Igesund's camp cheerful in the face of adversity, I'm hoping Bafana Bafana can begin the post-Pitso era with a vibrant draw or even a dramatic last-gasp Benni McCarthy winner.

The truth is, a 3-1 Brazil win feels about right. But as long as every South African player on show recognises the moment, grabs their opportunity on one of the greatest footballing stages, even defeat wouldn't be a disaster.

Before Mocambique receive a sound whipping in Mbombela next week.

Exclusive: Gordon Igesund on Brazil, Neymar, Rantie and McCarthy

Saviour of the universe? Bafana boss Gordon Igesund

I’ve just spoken to Gordon Igesund, the man with the toughest job in football. Brendan Rodgers at Liverpool and Johan Neeskens of Mamelodi Sundowns may dispute that right now. They’d be wrong.

Back in 1980, Freddy Mercury and his popular music quartet Queen sang: “Flash Gordon. Aha. Saviour of the Universe.” For South Africa’s own Gordon, saving the planet would appear to be a doddle compared to taking on five-times global conquerors Brazil on Friday night.

Just last Friday, after Igesund named his first squad to play Brazil and Mocambique, I was thinking seriously of fronting a television show about the 56-year-old’s heroic deeds with Queen’s Flash Gordon as the signature tune.

But a weekend, as every international coach knows, can be a long time in football. On Saturday, Steven Pienaar – Igesund’s iconic captain from Westbury – was declared crocked by a “thigh muscle strain” despite playing the full 90 minutes in Everton’s disappointing defeat at West Bromwich Albion.

Rather than turning to Orlando Pirates sought-after dynamo Andile Jali or Sundowns play-maker Teko Modisane, Igesund chose to call up the impressive SuperSport United midfielder George Maluleka. Controversial but understandable given the form of the Buccaneers and Brazilians of late.

Saturday also saw the withdrawal of Belgian-based Anele Ngcongca, who injured knee ligaments while playing for Genk. The club say he will be out for “at least two months”. That may open the way for 18-year-old Peterborough defender Kgosi Nthle to make an unexpected debut in Sao Paolo. Igesund’s only ever seen him play on video but as been assured by Posh boss Darren Ferguson – one of Sir Alex Ferguson’s twin sons: “He will never let you down.”

But it’s up front where Gordon’s universe is beset by falling stars. First, he told us in his squad-naming announcement last Thursday how he had picked former Orlando Pirates loan ranger Tokelo Rantie in his original squad of 23.

But then he explained how, on both the player and his new club Malmo’s advice, he had opted to scratch Rantie’s name off the list as he was “only 60 per cent fit”. Then what happens? Rantie scores for Malmo – his fifth goal in four games - in a 1-1 draw with Mjallby and played for 78 minutes before being subbed.

And back in South Africa, Igesund’s “old reliable” Siyabonga Nomvethe – PSL top scorer for Gordon’s Birds last season - suffered scan-confirmed “torn ligaments in his big toe” during a remarkable 3-0 win for Moroka Swallows at Orlando Pirates in the oldest Soweto derby.

Igesund immediately called up Sundowns striker Jabu “Edward” Manqele, the Brazilians’ R7m transfer window signing from Free State Stars. But he too was withdrawn, after pulling a hamstring in Sundowns shock defeat 2-1 against Martizburg United amid the riot police at Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville.

Then, and only then, Gordon turned to big, bad Benni McCarthy, last season’s PSL title-winning hero for Orlando Pirates who was controversially sent off amid further crowd trouble in the MTN8 semi-final defeat at the Orlando Stadium a week ago.

When Gordon rang yesterday morning, at the airport on the way to his date with destiny in Sao Paolo on Friday (Live from Estadio Morumbi on SABC1, 8.45pm), the weight of saving the universe with a patched up platoon hung heavy on his shoulders.

“Look Neal, you can’t say I’m upset about Rantie playing for Malmo. I spoke to the club and the player. They both said he was not fit. Rantie said he was sore because he hadn’t been through proper pre-season training.

“He said he was 60 percent fit and he didn’t want to play for Bafana when he was less than 100 percent. Rantie said he might only get one or two chances for the national team and he wanted to impress right from his first game with me.

“Then Malmo called and thanked me for leaving him out. They said it was the right decision. What can I do? I have to take their word.

“Then came the news that Stevie Pienaar and Siya Nomvethe were out. You can imagine. What a blow. My Premier League captain and Nomvethe, such a good, experienced Zulu lad.

“But look, you know Benni McCarthy. He can still do the job. And I’ve still got Bernard Parker, who scored four for Kaizer Chiefs the other day and Dino Ndlovu who scored his third goal of the season in Israel over the weekend.”

Igesund can also point to the two goals scored by Thulani Serero for Ajax Amsterdam yesterday – though he was sent off 53 minutes in to the 2-2 draw against Herenveen for a “crude challenge” on Filip Duricic.

Gordon continued: “You have to turn these negatives in to positives. I still have good players, we are still on track. I can look at some of the young players like Serero and Nthle, check them out.

“And you’ve seen this squad. It’s well-balanced, the mood is good, we are still positive. Now we just have to play Brazil with Neymar and all their stars on their biggest public holiday of the year.

“I know how hard it will be, but this is a new era for Bafana. But we aren’t going to worry about Neymar. We won’t go out there feeling inferior to Brazil, even though we know good they are and the crowd will be noisy.

“You know me, I won’t go out not to lose. I’ll play positive football with wide players. And we’ll make our country proud.”

Gordon Igesund's Bafana: "We won't play Brazil feeling inferior"

Start of a new era: Bafana boss Gordon Igesund

Gordon Igesund has picked his first Bafana Bafana squad - to play Brazil in Sao Paolo on September 7, kick-off 8.45pm on SABC1.

No surprises among the goalkeepers with Moeneeb Josephs back ("I didn't beg him," Igesund said) and Orlando Pirates Siya Sangweni in at the back with Morgan Gould injured ("That was a big blow to us and to Kaizer Chiefs").

In midfield, Igesund had picked Kamohelo Makotjo from Feyenoord ("Playing in a good League in Holland's Ere divisie, deserves a chance") and Kgosi Ntlhe ("Playing for Peterborough in a very touch Championship, I spoke to his boss Darren Ferguson (Son of Sir Alex) and he said Kgosi is just 18 but he'll never let me down").

Up front, Dino Ndlovu is in after early goals for Maccabi Haifa in Israel (Gordon said: "Who's to say he's not our next superstar. He's getting goals, he's sharp.")

Goalkeepers

Wayne Sandilands (Mamelodi Sundowns), Moeneeb Josephs (Orlando Pirates), Itumeleng Khune (Kaizer Chiefs)

Defenders

Siyabonga Sangweni (Orlando Pirates), Bevan Fransman (SuperSport United), Bongani Khumalo (PAOK, Greece), Erick Mathoho (Kaizer Chiefs), Anele Ngcongca (Genk, Belgium), Punch Masenamela (Mamelodi Sundowns), Thabo Matlaba (Orlando Pirates), Kgosi Ntlhe (Peterborough, England)

Midfielders

Kamohelo Makotjo (Feyenoord, Holland), Steven Pienaar (captain)(Everton, England), Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Siphiwe Tshabalala (both Kaizer Chiefs), Thulani Serero (Ajax Amsterdam, Holland), Katlego Mashego (Free State Stars), Dean Furman (Oldham Athletic, England), Kagisho Dikgacoi (Crystal Palace, England)

Strikers

May Mahlangu (Malmo, Sweden), Bernard Parker (Kaizer Chiefs), Lerato Chabangu, Siyabonga Nomvete (both Moroka Swallows), Dino Ndlovu (Maccabi Haifa, Israel), Thamsanqa Gabuza (Golden Arrows)

Gordon added: "Tokelo Rantie is the only player I picked and then left out. I spoke to Malmo, where he's scored four goals already, and they said he's only 60 percent fit. Tokelo told me that when I spoke to him. I appreciate his honesty."

No sign of Benni McCarthy, but Lerato Chagangu and Siyabonga Nomvete, Gordon's former Swallows, both make it. 

Igesund added: "Look, we all know Brazil are five times champions of the world, but that doesn't mean we will go out there feeling inferior. We don't have the best preparation, but we'll turn that in to a positive.

"I don't go out playing not to lose. We will go out there playing wide men, playing to win. It's Brazil's biggest national holiday on the 7th, it won't be a friendly, they've got their best side out. But we have to be positive.

"We have to win AFCON 2013, that's the big picture. I believe this is a good side, well-balanced. It will change before AFCON, no doubt. But this is a well-balanced side. This is the start of a new era for Bafana Bafana."