Banyana Banyana is set to clash with the Copa America Femenina champions, Brazil, in two friendlies, with the first match taking place this Friday at Orlando Stadium.
I will start this with an almost cliche saying in modern football; the team is heading in the right direction.
After Banyana Banyana’s remarkable run in this year’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, expectations increased for the senior national women’s team, with them managing to qualify for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup set to take place in Australia and New Zealand.
The WAFCON victory is one long built on perseverance and patience, using the foundation laid in the local women’s league – the Hollywoodbets Super League – combined with the talent of overseas-based stars and the great work done by the technical team to achieve one common goal.
It’s no coincidence that less than a year after Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies were crowned champions of the Hollywoodbets Super League and became CAF Women’s Champions League champions, Banyana Banyana would go on to win WAFCON with some of their players, like Andile Dlamini, playing key roles in the success.
Before the WAFCON tournament began in Morocco, Banyana played two key friendlies in preparation; one against the Netherlands and another against the copper queens, Zambia. Banyana lost both of these games. Zambia first thrashed them by 3-0 in February, followed by a 5-1 loss to the Netherlands in April. Both these games concerned many fans ahead of the tournament in Morocco, but after going all the way to win it, they proved vital in Banyana’s preparations.
This time, the team faces a Brazil side that is ranked in the top 10 (#9) of the FIFA Women’s Rankings. Brazil won the Copa America Femenina without losing or drawing a single game. Banyana, on the other hand, had an almost similar record in the WAFCON, but remained outside the top 50 in the latest FIFA rankings at position 54.
It’s the world stage where both these nations crave continued success. In the last FIFA Women’s World Cup (2019), Banyana Banyana, who were debuting, lost all three group stage games, scoring only once in the tournament. Brazil made it through to the round of 16 but got knocked out by France. In 2015 Brazil was knocked out in the same stage by Australia.
2023 presents a chance to make amends for the heartbreak experienced by their fans. Perhaps Brazil could be looking to go all the way this time, so their agreement to face Banyana shows how much quality the South African side has displayed in the last 12 months.
For Banyana, these two games present a chance for the technical team to properly assess the team’s depth and, most notably, the gap in intensity between them and Brazil. Remember, this match occurs while another group of young players are representing Banyana in the Hollywoodbets COSAFA Women’s Championship in Gqeberha.
With the Women’s World Cup kicking off in less than 12 months, this much activity already should further increase Banyana’s experience on the world stage.
Match 1: South Africa vs Brazil | Friday 2 September | Orlando Stadium, 18:00
Match 2: South Africa vs Brazil | Monday 5 September | Moses Mabhida Stadium 18:00
