Banyana Back on Track for Glory

Having made it through to the third and final round of Olympic qualifiers, South Africa’s senior women’s soccer team have achieved something fantastic, and their progress to face Nigeria in this past Sunday’s All Africa Games is testament to their re-emergence as among the continent’s best proponents of the beautiful game.

But the humiliating 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Nigeria’s Super Falcons at the Aout stadium in Algiers on Sunday will keep their attentions firmly on their first opposition in the Olympic round-robin starting on Saturday, the very same Falcons, boasting home-ground advantage.

Banyana Banyana are camped together in Johannesburg for the next few days until they fly out on Friday, and the team’s management is hard at work to turn the tide of disappointments suffered at the hands of the Nigerians.

“Well personally, a disappointing result,” said Banyana Banyan Team Manager Fran Hilton-Smith, “A lapse in defence and goal-keeping department saw Nigeria get two quick goals, three by half-time and then a fourth in the second half.

“We’ll be analysing the game, watching the videos, and trying to make some preparations for our crucial Olympic game on Saturday.”

Though the South African squad did well to beat Ethiopia (2-0) and Ghana (3-1), there will be concern at a 2-0 advantage in the continental opener against Nigeria ending in a 2-2 draw, and the emphatic win by Nigeria in the final.

The team management’s preparations will surely include a re-look at the physical approach of their African adversaries, an issue which has seen Janine van Wyk sidelined in the first All Africa Game opener against Nigeria, and Antonio Carelse (broken arm) and Belinda Nkosi (pulled calf muscle) also sidelined for the following three matches.

“But fortunately we’ve got another strong defender, who will be coming into the team for the away leg,” says Hilton-Smith. “Gloria Thato will be in for Janine van Wyk, and we’ll probably be bringing in another striker, to replace Antonio Carelse. Luckily we’ve got the capabilities here, so we can sort that out.”

Fortunately the team is in the care of far-seeing hands which recognise the stresses of the game and the need for a recharge, and this is on the cards for the next few days.

“Basically they’ll be resting, because I think that’s a priority, they’ll be resting, and on Thursday afternoon we’ll start doing some tactical training,” concluded Hilton-Smith.

Banyana will be playing each of the Olympic qualifier finalists in over the next month, with a match every two weeks, starting against Nigeria (away), Ethiopia (home) and Ghana (home) respectively.

After a break until December this year, Banyana will be in action against these teams again on the return legs of the initial matches, and the winner of the tournament will automatically qualify for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

The only other opportunity for entry to the world’s greatest stage is that afforded to the second-placed country, who will have a once-off chance to qualify by beating Brazil, in Beijing immediately prior to the Olympic draw announcement.

All bets are that the best way to achieve first place will be to capitalise on the weighted advantage offered to away goals, and Banyana Banyana will be intent on finding the back of the Super Falcon’s net come Saturday, working towards the minimum of a draw, perhaps even a win.Round-Robin Olympic Qualifiers:
Sat 28 July: Away against Nigeria (Lagos)
Sat 11 Aug: Home against Ethiopia (Pretoria)
Sat 25 Aug: Home against Ghana (Pretoria)
Break until December 2007, when Return Legs Commence