After arriving on Sunday (31 March 2024) in Abuja, Nigeria, the Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana wasted no time in getting down to business as they continued preparations for the much-awaited, all-important and much-anticipated clash against their hosts.
This will be the fourth and final round of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games qualifiers with the overall winners booking themselves a ticket to the global showpiece.
South Africa was boosted by the arrival of the overseas-based trio of Noko Matlou (Spain), captain Refiloe Jane (Italy), who joined training on Monday, 1 April 2024, the first Banyana Banyana training session held on Nigerian soil. Jermaine Seoposenwe (Mexico) has also landed in Nigeria.
Still to arrive are Linda Motlhalo (USA), Thembi Kgatlana, Hilda Magaia and Sinoxolo Cesane (all from Mexico).
Prior to departure for Nigeria, the African Champions held a week-long training session in South Africa.
Meanwhile USA-based Randy Waldrum, the Head Coach of the Super Falcons has also made his way to the West African country, joined by his assistant Kyle, along with some players who ply their trade abroad.
The Super Falcons players showed great form ahead of the crucial encounter with four of them on the scoresheet for their respective teams.
Captain Rasheedat Ajibade’ found the back of the net for Atletico Madrid against Valencia. Also in Spain, Tony Payne netted for Sevilla against Real Sociedad, while Gift Monday played the part of super sub perfectly with an and a goal for Tenerife against Huelva.
Racing Louisville’s Uchenna Kanu made history by scoring the fastest brace in the NSWL history with a brace in six minutes against Portland Thorns in the USA.
Onyi Echegini fired a hattrick to help Juventus defeat Florentina in Italy.
The West Africans will, however, be without Saudi Arabia-based defender Ashleigh Plumptre who has been withdrawn from the Super Falcons squad due to medical reasons. Her place has been taken by U20 national team defender Jumoke Alani from Nasarawa Amazons in the Nigerian Women’s Football League (NWFL).
The two nations will do battle in the first left on Friday, 5 April at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja. They will then meet again for the return fixture four days later (Tuesday, 9 April) in Pretoria at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium.
Both countries are battling it out for one ticket to Paris, with Morocco and Zambia will contest for the second African spot in the other match-up.
After back to back qualifications in London 2012 and Rio 2016, South Africa missed out on Tokyo 2016, while Nigeria last made an appearance at the global event in Beijing in 2008 – this after participating in three successive tournaments in 2000, 2004 and 2008.
Zambia’s only participation at the Olympic Games was four years ago in Tokyo. Morocco is the only nation among the quartet to experience the Olympic spirit.
By Matlhomola Morake
