Captain of the Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana, Refiloe Jane is back on the field of play after a long-term injury lay off.
The Soweto-born midfielder was introduced in the 62nd minute of Sassuolo’s Serie A Feminine clash against Sampdoria at the Silvio Piola Stadium in Vercelli on Sunday, 26 November 2023.
When she came on, her team was leading 4-0 – and that’s how it stayed.
This is Jane’s first match since Friday, 28 July at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Dunedin, New Zealand when she was pulled off in the 22nd minute following an awkward fall after a tussle for the ball with an Argentina player. She was replaced by Kholosa Biyana.
Banyana Banyana surrendered their 2-nil lead in that match and shared the spoils in the 2-all draw against the South Americans in their first ever meeting.
Although the injury was not deemed too serious at first, she however failed to recover in time and missed two subsequent matches – 3-2 win over Italy as well as the 2-0 defeat against the Netherlands in the Round of 16.
She has since missed Banyana Banyana’s two friendly matches vs the USA, as well as the second round of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games qualifiers against DR Congo. In the latter fixture, South Africa played to 1-all draw in the away leg, and won the corresponding fixture 2-0 at Orlando Stadium.
The return to action was however not quick enough for Jane to be considered for selection for South Africa’s upcoming 2024 CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Burkina Faso on Wednesday, 30 November with the return leg scheduled for Monday, 4 December at the Lucas Moripe Stadium.
The Banyana Banyana squad left for West Africa in the wee hours of Monday, 27 November after assembling for camp on the day Jane played her first match (Sunday, 26 November 2023).
This will be the South African Senior Women’s National Team’s final fixtures of the year, with the next assignment being the third round of the Olympic Games qualifiers against Tanzania (19-28 February 2024).
With Jane back in action, Banyana Banyana Head Coach Desiree will be hoping defender Bambanani Mbane will also be fit come February as South Africa attempts to qualify for their third Games after London 2012 and Rio 2016, having missed out on Tokyo 2020.
Mbane also got injured at the World Cup in the match against the Netherlands, and is undergoing rehabilitation.
With both Banyana Banyana and Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies concluding their 2023 campaigns this week, the defender will only return to action in the new year.
By Matlhomola Morake
