JOHANNESBURG: Pitso Mosimane was named national coach of South Africa Thursday in succession to Brazilian Carlos Alberto Parreria.

The announcment at a national football association news conference in Johannesburg was widely expected as Mosimane has been a Bafana Bafana (The Boys) assistant coach for four years.

Hosts South Africa were eliminated in the first round of the just completed World Cup after drawing with Mexico, losing heavily to Uruguay and defeating France.

Parreira, coach of the 1994 Brazil World Cup-winning team, indicated when he took control of South Africa a second time last November that he would step down after the World Cup.

Mosimane faces a difficult immediate challenge with South Africa in the same 2012 African Nations Cup qualifying group as defending champions Egypt, Sierra Leone and Niger.

Egypt have won the last three Nations Cup tournaments and west Africa minnows Sierra Leone triumphed at home and drew away when they played South Africa in the qualifying competition for the 2010 African tournament.

BDST: 2332hrs, July 15, 2010