Mamelodi Sundowns and Banyana Banyana defender Bambanani Mbane is looking forward to their much-anticipated clash against the Netherlands.
The friendly international will be played tomorrow (Tuesday, 12 April 2022) in the city of Den Haag (The Hague).
The Oranje Vrouwen have won their three previous meetings between the two nations.
Two of the encounters were played away in Waalwijk in 2016 – with Mbane an unused susbstitute in both matches.
But she would get a run in 2019 in Cape when the South African narrowly lost 2-1 – Thembi Kgatlana netting for home side in the second half.
Two first half by the visitors were enough to see them claim victory in the inaugural Winnie Mandela International Challenge.
A fourth match was called off last year after some of the Banyana Banyana squad members tested positive for Covid-19.
Having been there for all the games, Juice, as Mbane is called by her peers, knows all too well what to expect.
“Netherlands is one of the big strong teams and we must be mentally strong too to defeat them. We all know it is not going to be an easy match – after all we are playing one of the best in the world,” Mbane told SAFA.net.
“But I am happy with the way preparations have gone and the spirit in the team is high because we all have the same mentality. What we need to do to overcome them is push very hard, work as a unit and help each other out on the field – and we should be fine.”
The recently crowned Hollywoodbets Super League Player of the Year adds that with Netherlands ranked 5thin the world, this is the best opportunity for Banyana Banyana to gauge their strengths.
South Africa has qualified for the 2022 edition of the Africa Women Cup of Nations that will take place in Morocco from 2-23 July and are using this clash as part of preparations.
“The way I see it this match would not have come at a better time. We to know how far we have come as a team and not fool ourselves that we are the best – but use this game to fix where we need to. This clash will help us a great deal, and we need more of these, especially as we are going to the AWCON. We are going to learn a lot from this encounter,” she added.
Mbane is one of 14 players that were part of the squad that played against the Netherlands in the Cape Town fixture, the others are: Kaylin Swart (GK), Andile Dlamini (GK), Lebogang Ramalepe, Janine van Wyk, Noko Matlou, Mamello Makhabane, Karabo Dhlamini, Linda Motlhalo, Koketso Tlailane, Thembi Kgatlana, Jermaine Seoposenwe, Tiisetso Makhubela, Kholosa Biyana.
By Matlhomola Morake
