Former Banyana Banyana captain and midfielder, Amanda Dlamini, will be travelling to Morocco to be part of a stellar cast of some of Africa’s most celebrated former football stars who will be working as commentators and analysts for the upcoming TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
The tournament is set to run from 2-23 July 2022.
Dlamini will be joined by former Indomitable Lionesses (Cameroon) captain, Christine Manie; ex-Super Falcons (Nigeria) goalkeeper Racheal Ayegba and former Carthage Eagles (Tunisia) player Haifa Guedri.
“The CAF team will form part of the build-ups and commentary for all matches. The stellar on-site commentary and analysis team is a first in the history of the WAFCON competition and is part of CAF’s objective to enhance the quality of the TV product for the viewer, in keeping with the growing global stature of African women’s football,” said CAF in a statement.
- Amanda Dlamini:
Dlamini, who retired from international football in January 2018, has been capped 105 times for Banyana Banyana after 11 years, where she scored 24 goals.
She wore the armband between 2011 and 2013, and during that period captained the squad at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. She was also selected for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
Formerly with JVW FC in the Hollywoodbets Super League, South Africa’s elite women’s league, Dlamini is now a football analyst at Supersport and is also the Senior Manager for Commercial and Marketing at the South African Football Association (SAFA) – a position she took up last year.
She made her national team debut in 2007 against Nigeria, and scored her first international goal against the Netherlands.
Dlamini was the top goal scorer in the 2008 Sasol Women’s League and participated at the 2010 and 2012 WAFCON (formerly known as the African Women’s Championship).
She won her 100th cap in a friendly match against the USA in July 2016 – in the same match former USA goalkeeper Hope Solo achieved the same feat.
The milestone made Dlamini the fifth female footballer in South Africa to reach those heights, joining Janine van Wyk, Nompumelelo Nyandeni, Portia Modise and Noko Matlou in the 100-mile club.
- Christine Manie:
First forged her reputation playing for the famous Canon Yaoundé, before embarking on a successful football career that has taken her to Belarus, Romania and the French league. She was member of Cameroon squad at the 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. Manie was a stalwart for the Indomitable Lionesses, scoring a dramatic extra time winner against Cote d’Ivoire in the semi-final of the 2014 WAFCON which qualified Cameroon for their first ever FIFA Women’s World Cup.
- Rachael Ayegba:
Is a former Super Falcons goalkeeper. She made her debut against Namibia in 2001 and was a member of the Super Falcons squad at the 2006 and 2008 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, as well as the 2007 Women’s World Cup in China and African Games in Algeria same year. At club level, during her active 11-year spell in Finland, she has enjoyed stints at Kokkolan Palloveikot, Kuopion Palloseura, GBK Kokkola and notably with PK-35 Vantaa, where she won a couple of domestic titles and also competed twice in the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
- Haifa Guedri:
Was a member of Tunisia squad at the 2008 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, the first participation of Carthage Eagles at the glorious tournament. She has also played for ASF Sahel and Tunis Air Club in Tunisia.
“The viewer experience is our priority, we want women’s football in Africa to be a globally competitive television product. We are excited to welcome these stars who will be part of the CAF family. Improving the television product is one of our top priorities right now. Women’s football in Africa is on the ascendance and I am really looking forward to this competition,” said CAF General Secretary General Veron Mosengo-Omba to CAFonline.com
Among the TV commentators, Gaelle Moudio and Laetitia Dembo, accomplished TV presenters and commentators respectively from Cameroon and DR Congo, will be the main hosts, alongside renowned Benjamin Graham (CAF, WAFU, FIFA tournaments) and Duane Dell’oca (Olympics).
By Matlhomola Morake
(additional information – CAFonline.com)
