THE Reggae Boyz will take on South Africa’s Bafana Bafana in a hastily organised friendly international at the Offenbach Kickers FC Stadium in Frankfurt, Germany, today at 8:30 pm (1:30 pm Jamaica time) in what will be the fifth meeting between the nations.

Jamaica, desperate for an engagement this month after failing to secure a game in March as part of a game-a-month initiative announced by the Jamaica Football Federation, welcomed the opportunity after a late pull-out by China sent shivers through the South African football fraternity.

South Africa, who have intensified preparation for the FIFA World Cup which they will host this summer, could not afford to miss out on a game in keeping with their overall programme and a pre-tournament camp under way on German soil.

With little option, they turned to Jamaica who, despite the obvious challenges of time, grasped the chance with both hands. With only a 10-hour breather between arrival in Germany and kick-off time, the Reggae Boyz will face an unusual situation.

However, coach Theodore Whitmore stried to put a positive spin on the matter and believes the less experienced players could learn a valuable lesson.

“It’s a very unfortunate situation, but we just have to deal with it the best we can… this is part of what you have to deal with at this level. This can be seen as a test for them (players) to see how they can manage the rigours of international football,” said Whitmore, Jamaica’s two-goal hero at the France 1998 World Cup.

Travelling across the Atlantic Ocean and playing a match the very same day of arrival could weigh heavily on the players, so Whitmore has engaged the medical team to do whatever is necessary to lessen the impact of the taxing circumstances.

“… I’ve been talking to the medical people and I’m seeking his advice as to exactly how we’ll deal with the situation of jet lag and rehydration and so on,” he said.

Meanwhile, CEO of the South African FA, Leslie Sedibe, says it was important for his association to secure another international friendly match to replace China.

“We worked very hard within a very short space of time to arrange an international friendly match against Jamaica. Following the withdrawal of China, we did indicate that talks were under way with two other member associations of FIFA, and Jamaica’s confirmation has put the team’s preparations in Germany back on track,” Sedibe was quoted as saying on the association’s website.

Last week, Bafana Bafana, who have found goals hard to come by in a string of friendly internationals, again played to a goalless draw against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

This was the second successive draw for South Africa following their goalless draw against Paraguay in Paraguay last month.

The last meeting between 78th-ranked Jamaica and 88th-placed South Africa was back in November 2009 when they played out a goalless draw in a friendly in Bloemfontein.

South Africa’s coach, Brazilian Carlos Alberto Parriera, then lambasted Jamaica’s defensive approach, claiming it was aimed at “frustrating” the efforts of his team.

At the post-game press conference, Parreira said the visitors had “come with only a draw in mind”, and accused the Whitmore-coached outfit of time-wasting with their substitutions.

The match-up in Bloemfontein was to be the first of a two-game deal, with the second set for March 17 this year, but South Africa begged that it be rescheduled for another time.

In the other meetings between the teams, the first ended 1-1 in Kingston in 1999, then finished 0-0 in Cape Town three years later, before they played to an exciting 3-3 tie in the CONCACAF Gold Cup in Los Angeles in 2005 where South Africa appeared as a guest team.

The Boyz’s last outing was against Argentina in that country where the visitors gave a spirited rendition in a 1-2 loss.

Jamaica (from) — Richard McCallum, Duwayne Kerr, Jermaine Taylor, Dicoy Williams, Richard Edwards, Nicholi Finlayson, Desmond Breakenridge, Jevaughn Watson, Keammar Daley, Kavin Bryan, Navion Boyd, Ricardo Cousins, Jerry Walters, Xavian Virgo, Romario Campbell, Mario Swaby and Devon Hodges and Ryan Johnson.

South Africa (from) — Shu-Aib Walters, Itumeleng Khune, Moeneeb Josephs, Matthew Booth, Siboniso Gaxa, Siyanda Xulu, Innocent Mdledle, Bongani Khumalo,Thabo Nthethe, Siyabonga Sangweni, Lucas Thwala, Franklin Cale, Surprise Moriri, Lebohang Mokoena, Daylon Claasen, Lance Davids, Andile Jali, Teko Modise, Thanduyise Khuboni, Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Siphiwe Tshabalala, Gert Schalkwyk, Katlego Mashego, Katlego Mphela and Siyabonga Nomvethe.