August 11 will mark Pitso Mosimane?s first test as Bafana Bafana coach, when the South Africans face Ghana at Soccer City for an international friendly.

Mosimane?s new position was confirmed on Thursday afternoon by Safa president Kirsten Nematandani, but the news of his appointment had been circulating for days.

According to a report on Sapa, the match against Ghana is something of a PR brainwave. The African Stars became South African favourites during the World Cup, becoming the last African team carrying the continent?s hopes. Ghana was eventually defeated in the quarterfinals by Uruguay, who won a penalty shootout 4-2.

Other important matches facing Mosimane are the African Nations Cup qualifying games against Niger and Sierre Leone later in the year and what is expected to be a clash against a major international soccer power in the annual Nelson Mandela Challenge game on November 17.

Mosimane, who was one of the assistant coaches under Brazilian Carlos Albert Parreira during the World Cup, hinted that some of the Brazilian technical staff ? such as second assistant coach Jairo Leal and physical trainer Franciso Gonzalez ? might be persuaded to extend their contracts with Bafana.

With Bafana?s positive performance in the World Cup, pressure will be on Mosimane to continue delivering results ? but the new coach asked the public to give him a chance to make his mark.

"All I ask of those who have doubts over my appointment is to give me a chance to prove myself and not come out with guns of criticism blazing," Sapa reported Mosimane as saying.