Banyana Banyana coach Augustine Makalakalane’s side faces a dominant Nigeria in this evening’s All Africa Games final at the Aout Stadium in Algeria, as the continent’s best fight out for the crown of the ninth edition of the All-Africa Games.
For the second of three encounters between the two sides in the space of a month, each team is eagerly conscious of the importance of the match.
Two weeks ago Banyana Banyana opened a lead of 2-0 against Nigeria in the tournament’s opener, but had to be content with a 2-all final result.
Since then the South Africans have fortified their position, with consecutive wins over Ethiopia (3-1) and Ghana (2-0), and now stand equal with Nigeria as tournament log-leaders ahead of this evening’s decider.
But whatever the outcome of today’s game, the fixtures on everybody’s mind will be the upcoming Olympic qualifiers starting this coming weekend against Nigeria, for which today’s battle will be tough preparation.
Says coach Makalakalane in serious mood: “This is war. We are going into this game with everything we have to win the match. Yes, we have serious injuries, but we want to defeat them (Nigeria) so they stop thinking they can walk over everybody in Africa.”
Though missing top-flight talent in Janine van Wyk, Antonio Carelse and with Belinda Nkosi in a battle with time for match-fit status, Portia Modise, Veronica Phewa and Nompumelelo Nyandeni have filled the breach with great expectation, and the feeling in the camp is high.
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