McCarthy holds the key for 2010

According to the South Africa coach Joel Santana, the Blackburn Rovers striker Benni McCarthy has a key role to play until the 2010 World Cup.

Australia's Mark Bresiano challenges South Africa's Benni McCarthy during a 2-2 draw in London on Tuesday.

LONDON // The South Africa coach Joel Santana told Blackburn Rovers striker Benni McCarthy he has a key role to play until the 2010 World Cup. The 2-2 draw with Australia in London was McCarthy's first match for Bafana Bafana since missing a series of the country's African Nations Cup qualifiers during the summer.

The 30-year-old, who set up the opener for Siyabonga Nkosi at Loftus Road - home of Queens Park Rangers - but looked unfit, is South Africa's top marksman and Santana insisted he remains a crucial figure. "Benni knows how to hold the ball up and doesn't allow defenders to pass. He passes to our midfielders as well," he said. "I hope he will be a regular over next two years but football is always a surprise. I wanted him for the previous games but that was not possible. We hope he's going to stay with us."

Santana went on to declare that South Africa's second-half display was just like watching Brazil. Under-fire Santana witnessed his side dominate after the interval and secure a draw when Teko Modise expertly finished a slick team move. South Africa produced some enterprising play and Brazilian Santana could not resist a dig at Australia's style. "South Africa are similar to Brazil in the way they play - my players treat the ball with love and care," he said.

"That's why we play football. I would never want to play the way Australia play - my players don't have those characteristics." The Australia coach Pim Verbeek admitted his side's woes after the break were a result of his tinkering with the line-up. Strikes from Mile Sterjovski and Josh Kennedy cancelled out Nkosi's opener to give Australia a deserved interval lead but South Africa then assumed control.

"I'm very pleased with this game. Overall I'm very pleased with the performance," Verbeek said. "I know most of the players and in the second half brought in some new ones. We played very well in the first half but we were broken in the second. "That's normal if you make changes but it's good to see all the players in action. "My squad needs to be kept fresh at this stage of this season. There are still 11 places up for grabs for our first World Cup qualifier against Uzbekistan."

* PA Sport