SASOL Banyana Banyana booked their ticket to the 2015 All Africa Games in emphatic style when they beat neighbours Botswana 5 – 0 at the Dobsonville Stadium in Soweto, Johannesburg, on Saturday 11 April, 2015.
The SA women’s senior national team had beaten Botswana 1-0 in their opening away-leg encounter, and this result giving SASOL Banyana Banyana a 6 – 0 win aggregate over the Zebras.
Making the critical moves for the plunder were first-half goals by veteran striker, Portia Modise and Mamello Makhabane, followed by scores by Amanda Dlamini, Noko Matlou and Silindile Ngubane in the second stanza.
Banyana Banyana started the strongest in the match, winning a penalty as early as the 6th minute, after Sanah Mollo was brought down in the box. Mamello Makhabane stepped forward to take the spot kick, putting South Africa in the lead seven minutes into the match.
Modise had a chance in the 10th minute, but her shot went wide-off the goal post with the keeper well-beaten.
Modise made up for her earlier miss when she extended Banyana Banyana’s lead in the 14th minute – receiving a cross from Leandra Smeda on the left flank, she slotted in her 101 goals in National Team colours.
Mollo was a menace upfront for the Zebras of Botswana, out running them on multiple occasions. Her chance in the 18th minute went across goals while Matlou’s header was cleared-off the line in the 34th minute.
Botswana retaliated immediately after Matlou’s miss, but Roxanne Barker was well alert, coming off his line, parrying the ball out and captain Janine Van Wyk clearing the rebound out of danger.
Nompumelo Nyandeni came close to registering her name on the score sheet in the 39th minute, but her effort deemed fruitless with only the keeper left to beat, and Banyana Banyana went into the half time break leading 2 – 0.
The visitors returned from the break looking to catch-up as they put Banyana Banyana under pressure in the opening minutes of the second stanza, while South Africa continued from where they left off in the first half.
Dlamini made it 3 – 0 in the 52nd minute after she found herself unmarked inside the box, slotting-in a comfortable goal.
Two minutes later, Modise’s goal was ruled off-side, but Noko Matlou made up in the 59th minute with a brilliant header from a cross in the box taken from a set-piece.
Second half substitution Silindile Ngubane finished-off with a great shot from close range in the 67th minute.
Banyana Banyana continued to push for more goals with Shiwe Nogwanya’s shot hitting the cross-bar in the 88th minute.
The 2015 All Africa Games will be held in Congo Brazzaville from 3 – 13 September this year, after which the team’s next focus is the Rio 2016 Olympic qualifiers, which get underway next month in May.
SASOL Banyana Banyana Team:
Roxanne Barker
Janine Van Wyk
Noko Matlou
Nothando Vilakazi
Refiloe Jane
Amanda Dlamini
Nompumelelo Nyandeni
Leandra Smeda
Jermaine Seoposenwe
Sanah Mollo
Portia Modise
Subs:
Lebogang Ramalepe
Lerato Kgasago
Shiwe Nogwanya
Alocia Thobokela
Silindile Ngubane
Zamandosi Cele
Kaylin Swart
Photo 1 caption: The SAFA website showcases its pride in the SA women’s senior national team, SASOL Banyana Banyana, who trumped a 1-0 away-leg win against Botswana in March with a 5-0 drubbing at the Dobsonville Stadium to qualify for the 11th African Games in Brazzaville, Congo, from 3–13 September, 2015. Photo: SAFA.net website screengrab
(With editing by gsport)
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