If Bafana head coach Joel Santana did not know it before, he now knows that

he has little depth in his squad after a Bafana B team were beaten 1-0

by Guinea in an uninspiring friendly international played at

Atteridgeville's Super Stadium on Tuesday night.

The game started on a sad note when a minute's silence was held

before the kick-off for former Bafana and Moroka Swallows left back

Jacob Lekgetho who passed away on Tuesday after an illness. Lekgetho,

who also played in Russia, won 26 caps for Bafana.

Santana did keep his promise of giving players a chance who did not start or

play in last Saturday's 1-0 defeat by Nigeria in Port Elizabeth that

ended Bafana's hopes of playing in the 2010 African Nations Cup in

Angola.

In fact, he fielded a completely new side from the team that started

against the Super Eagles. The players looked like they had met just

before kick-off and showed little coordination.

Bafana fans showed their displeasure at the national team's failure

to qualify for the 2010 African Nations Cup in Angola with a massive

stay away.

About 2 000 supporters turned up for the match and the silence from

the stands was deafening.

By contrast, over 20 000 supporters turned up to watch Nigeria beat Bafana 1-0 in Port Elizabeth.

Santana has one win and four defeats

in seven friendly and competitive games and for a side hosting the

World Cup in less than 22 months that is simply not good enough.

There was little passion, pace or enthusiasm from either side in a

dull first 45 minutes. Russian-based central defender Matthew Booth,

making his comeback to Bafana for the first time in three years, looked

solid and took no prisoners at the back. However, his teammates lacked

discipline and gave away too many free kicks with reckless challenges

inside their own half.

Man of the Match Booth did have the ball in the back of the Guinea

net in the 12th minute but he was ruled offside.

Then a long-range shot from Yady Camara flew in under the post,

beating keeper Moeneeb Josephs in the 18th minute.

A minute later Lance Davids had a great chance to equalise when

Surprise Moriri set him up, but the Djurgardens midfielder shot over the

crossbar.

Moriri wasted Bafana's best chance on the half hour when he shot

wide with the goal at his mercy.

Guinea almost made it 2-0 three minutes from the break but, luckily for

the home side, Abubacar Camara's shot skimmed the crossbar.

Santana rung the chances at half time, bringing on Teko Modise,

Siboniso Gaxa and debutant Daine Klate.

The move was good with Klate just failing to nudge home a clever

cross from Gaxa in the 52nd minute.

Bafana's performance was summed up when Moriri played a ball back to

nobody in the 63rd minute and conceded an unnecessary corner.

Guinea keeper Youssouf Toure parried a Klate free kick in the 67th

minute. Three minutes later,

Modise headed a Zuma cross straight at Toure when he should have done

better.

The Guinea keeper managed to deny live-wire Klate an equaliser in

the 77th minute. The SuperSport United winger impressed and brought a new dimension to the game. He added pace, urgency and skill

which was lacking in the first half.

Petrus Mahlatsi, another substitution, also forced Toure into a save three

minutes from time and then, to compound Bafana's agony, Klate had a goal

ruled offside in injury time.