Banyana in AWC Return Leg

The Senior Women’s National Team, Banyana Banyana, host Zimbabwe today in
the second leg qualifier for the 6^th African Women Championships.
The game will be played at the Caledonian Stadium, Tshwane at 3pm.

The overall winner of the two-stage match will qualify for
the final round tournament of the 6^th AWC, to be held in Equatorial
Guinea in November this year, and coach Augustine Makalakalane has been crossing
the country, scouting for new players.

The four that have caught his eye are Nothandazo Kubheka,
Zandile Ndlovu (both strikers from KwaZulu Natal) and Danielle Clayford
(striker) and Janie Alexander (defender) of Western Cape, and they all adapted well
in the first leg in Harare, in absence of some of the star players like Portia
Modise, Veronica Phewa, Rose Jijane and Lena Mosebo, who are plying their trade
overseas.

The 4-1 win in the first leg achieved on 23 February was
the highest score ever recorded against Zimbabwe, who are Banyana’s closest
rival, and top striker, Noko Matlou of Limpopo’s Brazilian Ladies, was in good form
in that game, netting two goals.

With a 4-1 lead, Banyana Banyana go into this game as favourites,
but Coach Makalakalane is quick to caution that he sees this as a completely
new game and is not taking any chances. “We have to forget about the vital win
away and focus on wrapping up the qualification on Saturday at home.

“The team has been working on finishing and the focus is on
scoring first on Saturday to ensure qualification.” This is the last game for
Banyana Banyana until the kick off of the COSAFA Women’s Tournament scheduled
for May 2008. Banyana have been the title holders of this regional tournament
since inception. Banyana has qualified for every AWC since 1998. Our best
finish was in 2000 as runners-up to Nigeria.