‘Keepers hold the key

JOHANNESBURG. — Strikers win games, but goalkeepers win African Cup of Nations soccer tournaments, says former champion Andre Arendse ahead of the 2015 finals that kick-off tomorrow in Equatorial Guinea. He was part of the South Africa side that took maximum advantage of playing hosts to defeat Tunisia in the 1996 final.

Now 47, Arendse divides his time between analysing domestic and international football for pan-African TV channel SuperSport and coaching at top-flight club Bidvest Wits.

“I am a firm believer in the strikers-goalkeepers theory,” says the tall, pencil-slim Cape Town-born former star in an interview with AFP.

His opinion is backed by facts with legendary shot-stopper Essam Al-Hadary a key component when Egypt won a record three consecutive titles between 2006 and 2010.

Nigerian Vincent Enyeama, currently the best goalkeeper in Africa, played a major role in the unexpected success of his country at the last Africa Cup two years ago.

And Zambian Kennedy Mweene kept three consecutive clean sheets in the knock-out stages of the 2012 tournament, won against all the odds by his nation.

If Arendse is correct, one-time champions Algeria and Tunisia are potential winners in Equatorial Guinea as both boast outstanding goalkeepers.

Rais Mbolhi from American Major League Soccer outfit Philadelphia Union excelled at the World Cup last year when Algeria reached the last-16 for the first time.

Tunisian Aymen Mathlouthi is a vastly experienced campaigner for the Carthage Eagles and his club, eight-time African title winners Etoile Sahel.

Mweene from South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns remains the first choice for Zambia, but his form has dipped since the trophy-winning campaign.

Among young shot-stoppers, Cameroonian Joseph Ondua of the Barcelona youth squad comes to central Africa with a rapidly growing reputation.

South African Brilliant Khuzwayo is another rising star, claiming a squad place on the back of consistently superb form for runaway league leaders Kaizer Chiefs.

But such is the competition for places in the on-form Bafana Bafana (The Boys) squad that he is not guaranteed a starting spot with Belgium-based Darren Keet also a strong contender.

Keet succeeded Senzo Meyiwa who was murdered last October after playing a major role in their campaign having kept four consecutive clean sheets in Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Arendse places a collective will to win ahead of individualism when developing a recipe for Cup of Nations success.

And he stresses that countries who win their first group game at the biennial African football showcase receive a huge confidence boost.

Again, Cup of Nations facts support the grand old man of South African football, who made a brief, emergency return to top-tier football aged 45 two years ago.

Of the last 14 African champions, 12 won their opening mini-league game and the other two drew. Overall, 21 of 29 Cup of Nations title-holders kicked off with a victory. — AFP.