Coach Maud Khumalo’s South African senior women’s national team will get their 2024 COSAFA Women’s Championship campaign underway when they face Namibia at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, on Tuesday. Kick off is at 17h00.
Banyana Banyana will be looking to regain their title in this year’s tournament after three years without success and add to their record seven victories in the regional event.
Khumalo said she understands the importance of winning the first game. “To be honest with you, we are in a relaxed mood, in the right set of mind, in a sense that we know it is Match Day minus one. We know that we have a few hours to play our first game of the tournament, which is very crucial. In this camp, everybody is ready, everybody is relaxed and focused.”
Khumalo said they are hopeful that this year’s title will remain at home. “Definitely, we have to lift the hopes of South Africans, and also it is going to give us the right direction in terms of next year’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco. Remember, as I said previously, I said that everyone who plays against us, they are going to come at us strong. So, we are ready mentally and physically, and the girls are ready to go out there to represent the country.”
Banyana Banyana captain Thalea Smidt said while they have not had much time together ahead of the tournament, they will take advantage of the opportunities presented to them tomorrow.
“The preparation so far, I think it has been good. We have not really had as much time as we would have desired, but I think we must just make use of the time that we had. I think we did what was important and what would be important for us during the game and what would be needed from us during the game.
“Obviously, the main focus for us these past few days was on the preparations for Namibia because that is our first game. It is currently the most important game because it is the game that is going to set the tone for us in the tournament.”
