To coin the well-worn classic phrase -- it was a game of two

halves as Bafana head coach Carlos Alberto Parreira took a leaf out

of former England coach Sven Goran-Eriksson's book by fielding two

different sides in each half of this practise match.

It was a game of two halves in more ways than one. The first was

played in blazing heat and the second in cloudy, cool conditions.

The score did not really matter, but Parreira will be pleased to

start his preparations for this June's World Cup finals with an

easy win.

Catching the eye were striker Gert Schalkwyk, who scored twice in

the first half, winger Franklyn Cale, who netted twice in the

second, plus defender Siyabonga Sangweni, who looked solid for the

“First 11” at centre-half, and Sundowns midfielder anchor man

Matthew Pattison, who all put up their hand for a place in the

starting line-up against Zimbabwe in Durban on Wednesday night.

Bafana will play Zimbabwe at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in a friendly

where caps will be awarded. No caps were awarded for Saturday's

game.

Despite the convincing scoreline, Parreira knows this is

only the start of a tough road that ends on June 11 when Bafana

host Mexico in the opening World Cup Group A match at Soccer City.

The “First 11” got off to a flying start by scoring three goals

within the first 37 minutes without reply. Bafana's record score

was a 4-0 win, also in Durban, in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier

against Chad a few years back.

Bafana were well on the way to an unofficial record score

against a Swaziland side that looked like lambs to the slaughter,

but, to their credit, they refused to surrender and were rewarded

when Orlando Pirates striker Dennis Masina reduced the deficit

seconds before the halftime whistle with a well taken and deserved

goal.

Bafana were ahead in the third minute when first-half captain

Teko Modise chipped the ball for his Pirates teammate, Schalkwyk, who

did well to loft the ball over the advancing Swaziland keeper

Thokozani Mkhulisi to make it 1-0.

The enthusiastic crowd of about 10 000 were allowed free

entrance and given a rare treat of a hat-trick of first-half goals

and some good balanced play, despite the fact that some of the

players were rusty due to the PSL break.

Bafana keeper Itumeleng Khune did well to punch away a

dangerous shot from Lwazi Maziya for a corner in the 11th minute as

the visitors searched for the equaliser.

Right back Siboniso Gaxa, who must have impressed Parreira with

his powerful runs down the right flank, produced a dangerous cross

in the 24th minute aimed for Katlego Mphela, but somehow the ball

was scrambled for a corner before Mphela got his shot in.

A minute later the Modise/Schalkwyk combination produced

goal number two when midfielder Modise assisted his striker, which

enabled Schalkwyk to net his second of the afternoon to make it

2-0.

Swaziland refused to go down and it took another fine save

from Khune to deny Siza Dlamini a goal in the 34th minute.

Khune did well to pouch the 20-metre shot from the Jomo Cosmos

striker.

A minute later Mphela turned defender Sihawi Dlamini inside out

but his shot flew wide of the far post.

Mphela, the PSL and Sundowns' leading goal scorer this

season, got his name on the score sheet when he latched onto a

through ball from Schalkwyk and beat Mkhulisi with a great shot to

make it 3-0 in the 37th minute.

However, the outgunned Swazis fought back and Masina produced a

magical finish to make it 3-1 on the stroke of halftime.

The “Second 11” gave Bafana a 4-1 win lead thanks to a

thunderous strike from Cale whose volley beat Mkhulisi hands down

in the 58th minute. However, the hard working Swazi keeper did

brilliantly two minutes later to palm away a screamer from Cale

that had goal written all over it.

Swaziland, however, hit back again when Siza Dlamini scored in the

62nd minute. Any fight back by the visitors ended when Cale

rattled home Bafana's fifth goal in the 67th minute, making it 5-2

and putting the match well beyond the limited Swaziland side.

Mkhulisi pulled off another good save, this time denying

Pattison a goal in the 72nd minute.

Swaziland ended the match with 10 men when defender Sihawu

Dlamini was sent off by local referee Matthew Dyer for a second

yellow card in the 78th minute.

Bafana made it 6-2 in injury time when teenager Thulani Serero

scored from close range.