South Africa coach, Vera Pauw is refusing to allow the Rio Olympics shift her focus away from the upcoming Africa Women Cup of Nations, as Banyana Banyana prepare to take on Botswana in a two-legged qualifier for a place in the 10th edition of the women’s showpiece in Cameroon.
Since taking over the women’s team, the 53-year old former Dutch footballer has taken South African women’s football to greater heights and is now on the verge of leading the South Africans to successive continental championships.
Pauw will be looking at finally getting silverware for the South Africans, who finished runners-up in 2000, 2008 and 2012.
After announcing a strong squad of 28 players, the coach will unfortunately have to do without influential midfielder, Busisiwe Ndimeni who has been ruled out of both fixtures after sustaining an injury during a friendly with a Cameroon two weeks ago in Limbe.
A better piece of news for Pauw will be the return of Jabu Mazibuko, after missing out on the trip to Cameroon due to injury.
The Cameroon tour was a good test for Pauw and her charges, having beaten their host 2-0 and settling for a 2-2 draw in the two matches in Limbe, one of the venues for the Africa Women Cup of Nations fixed for 19 November – 3 December.
“We have just recently returned from Cameroon where we did very well and we are now looking forward to these upcoming clashes with Botswana. It has helped us with preparations for this important encounter because we really want to qualify for a big competition such as the African Women’s Cup of Nations and make the nation proud.
“We are not even thinking of the Olympics at this stage as the women’s championships is just as important for the overall plan of South African women’s football,” said Pauw.
Her only source of worry is the inadequate game time recently but is confident of a good result in Botswana.
“Our preparations have been going well but we are a little bit behind physically and not as explosive as we would want to be. When going into such competitions, you need to be well prepared as small mistakes can cost you dearly, but we are confident that we will come back home with a positive result” concluded Pauw.
The two-legged tie will see Banyana Banyana travel to face the Lady Zebras at the Lobatse Sports Complex Stadium on Saturday, 9 April 2016 in Lobatse, with the return leg due Johannesburg three days later.
Banyana Banyana has qualified for every edition of the biennial championship since its inception in 1998, just as seven-time winners Nigeria and Cameroon.
Results/Fixtures
Wednesday, 6 April 2016
Mali 1-1 Equatorial Guinea
Zimbabwe 1-0 Zambia
Tunisia 1-2 Ghana
Thursday, 7 April 2016
Egypt vs Cote d’Ivoire
Friday, 8 April 2016
Algeria vs Kenya
Senegal vs Nigeria
Saturday, 9 April 2016
Botswana vs South Africa
SECOND LEG
Sunday, 10 April 2016
Equatorial Guinea vs Mali
Zambia vs Zimbabwe
Monday, 11 April 2016
Cote d’Ivoire vs Egypt
Tuesday, 12 April 2016
Kenya vs Algeria
Nigeria vs Senegal
Ghana vs Tunisia
South Africa vs Botswana
Pauw will be looking at finally getting silverware for the South Africans, who finished runners-up in 2000, 2008 and 2012.
After announcing a strong squad of 28 players, the coach will unfortunately have to do without influential midfielder, Busisiwe Ndimeni who has been ruled out of both fixtures after sustaining an injury during a friendly with a Cameroon two weeks ago in Limbe.
A better piece of news for Pauw will be the return of Jabu Mazibuko, after missing out on the trip to Cameroon due to injury.
The Cameroon tour was a good test for Pauw and her charges, having beaten their host 2-0 and settling for a 2-2 draw in the two matches in Limbe, one of the venues for the Africa Women Cup of Nations fixed for 19 November – 3 December.
“We have just recently returned from Cameroon where we did very well and we are now looking forward to these upcoming clashes with Botswana. It has helped us with preparations for this important encounter because we really want to qualify for a big competition such as the African Women’s Cup of Nations and make the nation proud.
“We are not even thinking of the Olympics at this stage as the women’s championships is just as important for the overall plan of South African women’s football,” said Pauw.
Her only source of worry is the inadequate game time recently but is confident of a good result in Botswana.
“Our preparations have been going well but we are a little bit behind physically and not as explosive as we would want to be. When going into such competitions, you need to be well prepared as small mistakes can cost you dearly, but we are confident that we will come back home with a positive result” concluded Pauw.
The two-legged tie will see Banyana Banyana travel to face the Lady Zebras at the Lobatse Sports Complex Stadium on Saturday, 9 April 2016 in Lobatse, with the return leg due Johannesburg three days later.
Banyana Banyana has qualified for every edition of the biennial championship since its inception in 1998, just as seven-time winners Nigeria and Cameroon.
Results/Fixtures
Wednesday, 6 April 2016
Mali 1-1 Equatorial Guinea
Zimbabwe 1-0 Zambia
Tunisia 1-2 Ghana
Thursday, 7 April 2016
Egypt vs Cote d’Ivoire
Friday, 8 April 2016
Algeria vs Kenya
Senegal vs Nigeria
Saturday, 9 April 2016
Botswana vs South Africa
SECOND LEG
Sunday, 10 April 2016
Equatorial Guinea vs Mali
Zambia vs Zimbabwe
Monday, 11 April 2016
Cote d’Ivoire vs Egypt
Tuesday, 12 April 2016
Kenya vs Algeria
Nigeria vs Senegal
Ghana vs Tunisia
South Africa vs Botswana
By: Editor
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