S. Africa honour tragic Meyiwa with Africa Cup spot

Posted Sunday, November 16, 2014 by AFP

Durban (South Africa) (AFP) - South Africa qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations on Saturday thanks to a 2-1 win over Sudan with victory dedicated to former captain Senzo Meyiwa who was murdered three weeks ago.

The 27-year-old goalkeeper and captain was gunned down by an intruder at the home of his pop singer girlfriend south of Johannesburg on October 26.

After Saturday's game, new goalkeeper Darren Keet dedicated the win to Meyiwa, paying tribute to his friend by sporting a moving, handwritten quote from The Bible on his gloves.

"The verse on there (the gloves) was John 15:17, where it says, 'there's no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friend'. I'm emotional of course, he was a great friend of mine," said the 25-year-old.

"I just want to pay tribute and honour him. I never got the chance to go to the grave but I hope he's watching us from above and knows that we are thinking about him.

"I just wish he was here with us, that's all I can say, that's what makes it emotional, is that he is not here with us. We want him here as a team but unfortunately his time has gone and we have to move on and his memory will stay strong."

Saturday's qualifier took place in Meyiwa's hometown and victory allowed Group A leaders South Africa to join already-qualified Algeria, Cape Verde, Tunisia, Gabon, Zambia, Cameroon, Burkina Faso in the finals.

Equatorial Guinea, named as hosts in place of Morocco on Friday, qualify automatically for the January 17-February 8 event.

The 2015 Cup of Nations was moved to Equatorial Guinea when Morocco were stripped of the right to hold it after insisting on the continental showcase being postponed due to the Ebola crisis.