An epic showdown is expected when Africa’s women’s football royalty clash for a ticket to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games which will be held later this year (July/August).
This will be when the Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana host Nigeria’s Super Falcons in the second leg of a match that is delicately poised, but with the visitors holding the advantage after claiming a 1-nil win in the first leg in Abuja last week (Friday, 5 April).
The two sides meet at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria on Tuesday, 9 April 2024 in what is expected to be a spectacle as both nations are hungry for a spot in Paris. Nigeria last made an Olympic Games appearance in 2008 in Beijing, while South Africa missed the last edition in Tokyo after featuring in Rio 2016.
The Super Falcons are by far the most successful side on the continent and cannot be taken for granted, but they are also well aware of the danger the African Champions possess – in the last five meetings, South Africa won three, with the other two going the way of Nigeria.
Only a goal separates the two nations – scored by captain Rasheedat Ajibade from the penalty spot after long-serving defender Noko Matlou was adjudged to have clipped Chinwendu Ihezuo in the box just two minutes before the break.
Nigeria have only one mission: not concede and they are on the flight to Europe.
For South Africa, they have to work hard to score early and also avoid conceding as that will increase the West African’s advantage.
“Looking forward to the game tomorrow, we have looked at the footage [first game] as well. We know we are better than what we showed in Nigeria. We can do way better than that, and I think the second half showed how well we can play. It is a match we have to win. We have to put everything into it to make sure that we get the goal early to be able to kickstart from there. We know it won’t be easy, Nigeria got the one goal advantage and we have to prepare for every eventuality,” Ellis told SAFA Media.
The South Africans will be boosted by the availability of the livewire Sinoxolo Cesane. The Mexico-based was unable to travel with the squad to Abuja. The visitors will most likely unleash powerful striker Asisat Oshoala, who plays in the USA in the starting line-up – she came on in the second half in the first leg after arriving a day before the match.
“We’ll go into this the same way, will be confident… We still have the same players that we had on Friday night against their players on Friday night. So our players know what’s at stake. They know we’re one game away from achieving their goal of getting to Paris. And I feel confident in our players that we have that. We’ll go get the result,”Super Falcons Head Coach Randy Waldrum told the Nigeria media.
“I think where we (the Falcons) did not perform at our best was finishing. Again, it is one of those things but had we scored a second goal I would have loved it, had we got a third it would have been better. But even scoring a couple of goals, we still have to play the second leg and we must take our chances. South Africa are capable of scoring multiple goals as well, so we still have to go with the same mindset for good results.”
The Banyana Banyana vs Nigeria clash will also see Mamelodi Sundowns defender Lebohang Ramalepe play in her 100th for the national team – becoming only the 11th player in South African women’s football to do so. She will be hoping it will be a double celebration with the qualification to Paris.
Tensions are expected to rise at Loftus as only one team will earn the right to represent the African continent at the Games. With only two spots available, Zambia and Morocco will battle it out for the ticket.
The North Africans have taken a 2-1 lead to Rabat for the second leg.
In the event the ties end in an aggregate draw, 30 minutes of extra time will be played, and if there is no winner a penalty shootout will ensue to determine victors.
The vanquished side will have to wait another four years to try again.
SOUTH AFRICA vs NIGERIA Match details:
Competition: Paris 2024 Women’s Olympic Qualifier
Match: South Africa vs Nigeria
Venue: Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
Date: Tuesday, 9 April 2024
Kickoff time: 19H30 (SA TIME)
By Matlhomola Morake
