Coach Wants Win Dead or Alive

On 18 February, Banyana Banyana lost 2-1 to Equatorial Guinea’s Women in Malabo in a stark set-back for their Women’s Olympic Football qualification ambitions.

The national women’s soccer team now has the opportunity to put themselves back in contention for a historic first Olympic appearance in Beijing next year, in a return match on Sunday in Pretoria.

According to team manager Fran Hilton-Smith, it was a defensive lapse that gave the Guineans a two-goal advantage in the away match. “The one was a penalty, and the other was a lapse in defence, there was a break-down in communication in defence.”

Says team coach Augustine Makalakalane: “The strongest point I’ve had is a strong defence, an organised defence, but unfortunately we lost a kingpin against Guinea, and it’s the first time I’ve seen cracks at the back.”

But prolific Banyana captain Portia Modise remains confident for a positive outcome at the Caledonian Stadium come Sunday: “Our preparation’s going very well. We’re having a little bit of pressure, because we have to do this do-or-die game on Sunday, because if we don’t win, we don’t qualify. But our expectations are very high for Sunday.”

Among the reasons for her optimism is the fact that coach Makalakalane believes he has found a solution for a defensive strategy which proved inadequate in the away leg.

“I’ve seen her playing for Vaal Tech,” said the captain of his new defender. “Nthabiseng Nyambose is very lanky defender, she’s got physical ability and height, which will help us compete against the Guinea strikers, who are both tall and athletic.

“It will be her first game, she’ll be under pressure, but when you are a national player, you have to come out and do your best, and that will help us fortify the defence.”

Says Modise: “I think she’ll fit in very well, because we’re trying to get her to gel into the team, I think she’s very comfortable now with the team.”

In order to progress to the next round-robin qualification stage, Banyana Banyana will have to score at least one goal, while at the same time, preventing the highly physical Equatorial Guinean team from scoring at all.

“Even if we score one goal,” said Hilton-Smith, “We go through, because we’re even on goals. So we need a goal here to make it 3-2, and win the game. We’re making sure that we’re working on tactics, to prevent them from going through.”

In an away-goal rule that rewards travelers with two for each goal scored on foreign soil, home teams that allow opposition to score are heavily penalised. As away goals count double, it’s critical that the Guineans are not allowed to score.

“They arrived on Monday, much before we thought they would. We’ve had a look at them, and it’s the same team that we played away, so we know we’re in for a hard game, come Sunday,” said Hilton-Smith.

One issue that might niggle coach Makalakalane is that he has two players on yellow cards, and a similarly-penalised offence by either of defenders Lena Mosebo or Bongiwe Radebe, will see his team reduced in numbers for this vital clash.

On the upside, Makalakalane will be able to count on Portia Modise, Veronica Phewa, and Nompumelelo Nyandeni, all recently in prolific scoring form for his team, with only Memory Makhanye, who is nursing an injury picked up during the previous Equatorial Guinea match, a doubtful starter.

The South African ladies are expecting their fans to turn out in numbers to support them in this crucial must-win encounter. “We’re playing at the Caledonian Stadium in Pretoria,” said Modise.

“The crowd is always there for us, they always support us. We’re hoping that they’re going to come to give us the support, we need their support this weekend.”

For coach Makalakalane, there’s no question of what is required. “They have no choice, it’s only one way,” he said. “They’ll come out dead or alive, but they must come out with a win, and they are very determined to fight that fight.

“We have to make sure that we’re putting Guinea under pressure from the beginning, without conceding a goal,” continued Makalakalane. “We need to score an early goal, and we have to score as many goals as possible, because the away-goal rule is a real thorn in the flesh for this competition.”

Round-robin return match:
Banyana Banyana vs Equatorial Guinea
Venue: Caledonian Stadium, Pretoria (Kick-off 3:45pm)
Note: Equatorial Guinea won the away leg 2-1, both teams currently all-square 2-2 on away-goal rule.