South Africa inspired by chance to make history

On a national public holiday to commemorate the day the brutality of the apartheid regime reverberated around the globe, the World Cup hosts will today have an opportunity to make their own history by securing second-round qualification.

Youth Day commemorates the 1976 Soweto uprising. Protests by more than 20,000 pupils ended in more than 700 deaths including that of Hector Pieterson, captured in an iconic photograph. “Tomorrow is important, especially for the youth,” said the South Africa captain, Aaron Mokoena, following his team’s final training session at the Lotus Versfeld ground in Pretoria, a rugby stronghold. “It is a really special day for everyone and it would be great to win for everyone on the day. It’s a day South Africa always remembers, the 16th means a lot.” @Guardian

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