Captain of the Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana Refiloe Jane returns to the squad after an absence of six months.
Head Coach Desiree Ellis has announced a bloated list of 32 players which will be trimmed down before the team departs for East Africa where they will face Tanzania in an all-important two-legged 2024 Paris Olympic qualifiers between 19 and 31 of this month.
Jane last donned the national team jersey in the 2-2 draw against Argentina (Friday, 28 July 2023) in the second match of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup played in Dunedin, New Zealand.
Fifi, as she is known to her peers, was stretchered off in the 22nd minute of the fixture – missing the two subsequent games in the tournament, the 3-2 victory over Italy and the 2-0 defeat to the Netherlands.
She was also not considered for the back-to-back friendly matches against former World Champions, the USA, in Cincinnati and Chicago in September 2023; the two-legged second round CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against the DR Congo in October as well as the two fixtures of the 2024 Paris Olympic qualifiers against Burkina Faso in November.
Thembi Kgatlana has been wearing the armband in Jane’s absence.
While Jane makes a return, Ellis has not called up defender Bambanani Mbane who is still undergoing rehabilitation after her injury at the World Cup against the Netherlands (6 August 2023) in Australia. She is however close to returning to action.
Also missing out is the University of the Western Cape duo of Bongeka Gamede and Sibulele Holweni, as well as Mexico-based Sinoxolo Cesane. The trio is nursing an assortment of injuries. Cesane has been a revelation for her new side Mazatlán FC Femenil, whom she joined at the beginning of this year along with Hilda Magaia.
But Ellis will be excited that her forwards, who all ply their trade in the Liga MX Femenil – Magaia (who made it into the Liga BBVA MX Femenil Week 6 Team of the Week), Kgatlana and Jermaine Seoposenwe – are in fine form and have been scoring goals for their teams.
Also called up from abroad are Noko Matlou (Spain) and Linda Motlhalo (USA).
The overseas-based players will fly directly to East Africa to meet up with the rest of the squad.
Meanwhile, Ellis has arranged a five-day preparation camp for local-based players only – all of whom last played a competitive match about two months ago in the South African Premier Women’s Football League, the Hollywoodbets Super League. The 2024 season is only scheduled to kick off in March after the Olympic qualifiers.
“The training camp is for the local-based players, the players abroad are currently playing. We are in a similar scenario like we were when we had to play Algeria in the final qualifier for the 2022 WAFCON where we only had two weeks of pre-season. However, this time around it’s different because the clubs are further ahead into pre-season and a big thank you to them,” added Ellis.
Prior to the preparation camp, six goal minders will go into a three-day goalkeeper training camp from Friday, 9 February to Sunday, 11 February 2024.
Joining the regular Banyana Banyana trio of Andile Dlamini, Kaylin Swart and Katlego Moletsane are Dineo Magagula (Royal AM), Victoria Muroa (TUT FC) as well as Dimakatso Ntsiene, who runs out for Ixias FC in the Sasol League (Free State). It is the first time she is called up for any national team activity.
The goalkeepers’ session will take place at the High Performance Centre (HPC) in Pretoria.
“Goalkeeping is really an important component of the team and sometimes it’s neglected in terms of specialised coaching and that’s why we have this camp. We are bringing in six goalkeepers again and ones that were not available last year (for the training camp). Andile was not available, she was recovering from an injury. We have brought in Tshidi from TUT and we have also brought in a new 18-year-old goalkeeper identified at the Sasol League National Championships. I was very impressed with her,” Ellis told SAFA.net.
BANYANA BANYANA PRELIMINARY SQUAD FOR OLYMPIC QUALIFIER VS TANZANIA:
| NAME | POSITION | CLUB |
| GOALKEEPERS: | ||
| Andile DLAMINI | Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies | |
| Kaylin SWART | JVW | |
| Katlego MOLETSANE | Royal AM | |
| Dineo MAGAGULA | TS Galaxy Queens | |
| Victoria MUROA | TUT FC | |
| Dimakatso NTSIENE | Ixias FC (Sasol League – FS) | |
| DEFENDERS: | ||
| Karabo DHLAMINI | Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies | |
| Noko MATLOU | SB Eibar (Spain) | |
| Fikile MAGAMA | University of the Western Cape | |
| Asanda HADEBE | Sunflower FC – Sasol League | |
| Tiisetso MAKHUBELA | Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies | |
| Lonathemba MHLONGO | University of the Western Cape | |
| Lebohang RAMALEPE | Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies | |
| MIDFIELDERS: | ||
| Kholosa BIYANA | Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies | |
| Refiloe JANE | Sassuolo Women (Italy) | |
| Linda MOTLHALO | Racing Louisville, USA | |
| Nomvula KGOALE | TS Galaxy Queens | |
| Sphumelele SHAMASE | University of Johannesburg | |
| Amogelang MOTAU | University of the Western Cape | |
| Thalea SMIDT | University of Pretoria | |
| Lesego NKOANE | TS Galaxy Queens | |
| Thubelihle SHAMASE | University of Johannesburg | |
| FORWARDS: | ||
| Nicole MICHAEL | TS Galaxy Queens | |
| Gabriela SALGADO | JVW | |
| Samkelisiwe SELANA | TS Galaxy Queens | |
| Noxolo CESANE | University of the Western Cape | |
| Melinda KGADIETE | Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies | |
| Wendy SHONGWE | University of Pretoria | |
| Nthabiseng MAJIYA | Richmond Ladies | |
| Jermaine SEOPOSENWE | FC Monterrey (Mexico) | |
| Hildah MAGAIA | Mazatlán FC Femenil (Mexico) | |
| Thembi KGATLANA | Tigres UANL (Mexico) | |
By Matlhomola Morake
