Jermaine Seoposenwe put South Africa in early command to earn a hard-hitting 3-0 away win against their third-round Olympic Qualifier opponents, Tanzania, at the Azam Complex Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Friday, 23 February, 2024.
With eight African teams in action on Friday all in hot pursuit of the two Paris 2024 berths allocated to the African continent, the pressure was on head coach Desiree Ellis to make sure of this qualifier, with SA having missed out on the Tokyo 2020 Games.
With Seoposenwe hitting home from a classy assist courtesy Hildah Magaia in the 10th minute, the South African never looked back, playing a confident first half that belied the visitors’ slim 1-nil advantage.
The second half started with a substitution, Amogelang Motau introduced to replace Kholosa Biyana, but Banyana Banyana continued to look the part, playing attractive football despite the ever-present hidden danger of the unknown Tanzanian team.
The pressure couldn’t hold, and Liga MX Femenil club Tigres Femenil’s new signing Thembi Kgatlana slotted Banyana Banyana’s second goal to double the advantage in the 57th minute.
With the pressure off, the senior South African national women’s side adopted a slightly more restrained temperament, cautious to avoid conceding an inch while always on the hunt to extend their lead.
Soon after Gabriela Salgado came on for Noxolo Cesane in the closing stages of the match, it was none other than #8 Hildah Magaia who set the match beyond doubt when her 86th minute goal gave South Africa the match’s closing goal and a mighty 3-0 win.
WIth Friday’s result in the bag, coach Ellis will be confident of her charges cleaning up this contest come Tuesday’s return leg, at the Mbombela Stadium in Mpumalanga, on Tuesday.
Fixtures for the Third Round Olympic Qualifier
Fri 23 Feb: Tanzania 0 (0) – 3 (1) South Africa (Azam Complex Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania)
Tue 27 Feb: South Africa vs Tanzania (Mbombela Stadium in Mbombela, Mpumalanga)
Banyana Banyana Team for the Opening Leg of the 3rd Round Olympic Qualifier vs Tanzania at the Azam Complex Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on Friday, 23 February, 2024
1 Kaylin Swart (GK)
7 Karabo Dhlamini
4 Noko Matlou
3 Asanda Hadebe
2 Lebohang Ramalepe
19 Kholosa Biyana
10 Linda Motlhalo
6 Noxolo Cesane
8 Hildah Magaia
12 Jermaine Seoposenwe
11 Thembi Kgatlana (C)
Substitutes
16 Andile Dlamini (GK)
21 Katlego Moletsane (GK)
5 Fikile Magama
9 Gabriela Salgado
13 Nicole Michael
14 Nomvula Kgoale
15 Nthabiseng Majiya
17 Sphumelele Shamase
18 Thalea Smidt
20 Lesego Nkoane
22 Amogelang Motau
Main Photo Caption: Banyana Banyana golden boot Jermaine Seoposenwe put South Africa in command with her 10th-minute goal, giving the South African visitors the confidence from which to extract a hard-hitting 3-0 away win against their third-round Olympic Qualifier opponents, Tanzania, at the Azam Complex Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Friday, 23 February, 2024. Photo: SAFA on X
Photo 2 Caption: Liga MX Femenil club Tigres Femenil’s new signing Thembi Kgatlana slotted Banyana Banyana’s second goal to double the advantage in the 57th minute. Photo: SAFA on X
Photo 3 Caption: It was none other than Hildah Magaia who set the match beyond doubt when her 86th minute goal gave South Africa the match’s closing goal and a mighty 3-0 win. Photo: SAFA on X
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