Banyana Banyana have one more hurdle to clear before they can plot their bid to make history by reaching the Women’s World Cup knockout stages.
Banyana haven’t had the best World Cup preparations as they had an issue with Safa, which resulted in them boycotting their send-off match against Botswana, while they cited financial obligations that weren’t signed off.
But that was resolved following the timely intervention of the Motsepe Foundation, Ithuba and the ANC Youth League, who topped up the sum that the players were supposed to get from the Fifa grant.
With that out of the way, the Africans champions last week flew to New Zealand, where they’ll be based for their Group G matches against Sweden, Argentina and Italy.
The three matches will determine their knockout stage fate and they’ll gauge their readiness against Costa Rica in a friendly tomorrow (kick-off 4am).
Costa Rica will also play in the global showpiece as they are in Group C alongside Japan, Spain and Zambia.
While Banyana’s clash against Costa Rica will give them some match fitness for their opening group-stage clash against Sweden, lessons from that clash will work for the team going forward.
Argentina and Costa Rica are from South and Central America respectively, which links them in some way.
But while the former have been involved in more football events, Costa Rica have been going about their business quietly.
So, it is for that reason and more that coach Desiree Ellis and her troops must be wary of the threat posed by their opponents, who’ll also be planning to gather some information on how to play Zambia.
Like Banyana, the Zambians haven’t only reached the tournament by merely being from the southern part of the continent but they earned it with a top four finish at Wafcon.
“It’s another top team, a World Cup-bound team. Their preparation is similar … they’re playing an African country (in their group). And I think that’s why they chose to play against us,” Ellis said this week.
“But a lot of our game will be based on what we’re going to do against Sweden. It might not be evident in the game, but we will be working on that during training, and a little bit on Costa Rica.”
Ellis should have more information on the Swedes, though, given the fact that two of her regulars, Linda Motlhalo and Hildah Magaia, played in the country.
The spotlight, however, will be on Magaia, the former Moron BK player, who’ll be making her debut at the World Cup after scoring a brace in the Wafcon final against hosts Morocco last year.
Magaia, who’s currently playing for Sejong Sportstoto in South Korea, said she was looking forward to being the missing piece in Banyana’s attacking unit, while she’s raring to go in the first match against Sweden.
“It’s a team that we played against in Cape Town but we believe that everything changes as the years goes by. So, what we talk about is, going there as a team and doing what we do,” Magaia said.
“We also want to fight and work together as a team, because it won’t be easy but there’s a reason why we qualified for the World Cup – that means we are good enough to be there.”
@MihlaliBaleka