Menzi Magubane
Banyana Banyana rounded off their friendlies with a comfortable 2-0 victory over neighbours Botswana on Tuesday.
Thembi Kgatlana and Gabriela Salgado were on target to give Banyana their second win in three days following their win against Zambia on Saturday.
“These friendlies are preparing us for the vision the coach and her technical team have drawn up for us,” captain Ayanda Dlamini told IOL.
Banyana will miss the Olympic Games in July and used the friendlies as part of their preparations for the Cosafa Women’s Championship and 2022 CAF Africa Women’s Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Details of this year’s Cosafa have not been released but Banyana will be looking forward to defending the title they won in November in Gqeberha.
The start of Africa Women’s Cup of Nations qualifiers is also still to be announced. The tournament will be played in Morocco.
The continental showpiece has extended from eight to 12 teams with the top four finishers guaranteed a spot at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
Banyana coach Desiree Ellis now turns her focus to the 2021 Sasol League. This year’s campaign kicked off this past weekend after a break of more than a year due to the coronavirus. It will give Ellis an opportunity to follow the progress of her players and possibly scout for new talent for Banyana.
Picture source: @BanyanaBanyana
