Meteors In Lion's Den

Ghana?s Black Meteors play what appears the most crucial of their Athens Olypic Games qualifying series against South Africa?s Amagluglug at the HM Pitje Stadium in Mamelodi, near Pretoria on Saturday, and only three bloody points would still be at stake.

A draw would not be too bad a result for Ghana who still has a home game with close contenders Zambia but the same result would be too crushing to the sinking aspirations of their hosts, who occupy the unenviable fourth spot in a group of four nations with only three points.

Understandably, the South African media have tugged the return encounter variously as a ? do or die? or ? a pay back time? match, and they cannot be wrong.

Even a draw for the Amagluglug on Saturday would mean the end of the road for them. It would only give them an additional point to take their tally to four, and that wont be enough to overtake the Meteors should they even win their last game against Algeria away.

While the South Africans are confident of avenging their first leg 1:0 loss in Accra, they are also praying that Algeria, with six points and joint top spot holders Zambia, also with seven points, would play out a draw.

The Amagluglug have had a great response to international call-ups for three of its best. The three overseas-based players arrived in the country on Wednesday to join the team?s preparation for Saturday?s game.

The trio are strikers Ryan Botha (Finland), Giovanni Rector (Belgium) and attacking midfielder Thando Mngomeni (Sweden).

Their arrival has so boosted the team?s morale and on Wednesday, they played a warm-up match against a reserve side of Sundowns at the venue for Saturday's match. The South African national side won 13-0.

Finland-based striker Ryan Botha is quoted as saying in Mamelodi yesterday that "Ghana beat us 1-0 during the first round in Accra, it's pay back time.

"This is our last chance to revive our hopes of qualifying for the Olympic Games in Athens, our preparations are going well and we are ready to beat Ghana". The team will wrap-up their preparations in Mamelodi today, but officials are crossing their fingers for midfielder Gert van Schalkwyk (ankle) and left-back Tsietsi Mahoa (groin) to recover from the injuries. The duo were excused from training yesterday.

But the camp of the Black Meteors is overflowing with its own good measures of enthusiasm. In spite of a heady preparation that has seen key players fall out of the team and injuries taking a few out, coach Mariano Barreto is hopeful a win is on his cards.

Captain Chibsah Yusif has been confident all week and believes his colleagues are ready to die to scoop all the points in the match.