The Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana have secured an international friendly match against Serbia as the African Champions ramp up their preparations for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which will run from 20 July to 20 August.
This will be the first time the two nations meet, and the clash is set to take place in Serbia on the 10th of April.
Ranked 36th in the world, the White Eagles have never been to a Women’s World Cup. Banyana Banyana are ranked 54th.
The Eastern Europeans played eight matches in 2022, winning four and losing the other four.
This year, they defeated Bosnia-Herzegovina 3-2 and drew 0-0 with Slovakia – both matches were international friendly encounters and took place last month.
The clash against the Serbians will be South Africa’s sixth preparatory match for the World Cup – since lifting the CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in July 2022.
The reigning continental champions faced South Americans Brazil on two occasions, falling short in 0-3 and 0-6 defeats. They then took on Australia in London and went down 4-1.
Last month they beat Uzbekistan 3-0 and played to a 1-1 draw against Slovenia in the Turkish Women’s Cup.
BANYANA BANYANA PREPARATORY FIXTURES:
vs Brazil: 0-3
vs Brazil: 0-6
vs Australia: 1-4
vs Uzbekistan: 3-0
vs Slovenia: 1-1
Meanwhile Banyana Banyana head coach Desiree Ellis has named a preliminary squad of 32 players for the Serbia fixture – which will be trimmed before the team’s departure to Europe.
The bulk of the list is made up of local-based players, with only six plying their trade overseas.
Ellis has also recalled two youngsters who have been doing well for their respective teams in the Hollywoodbets Super League – Wendy Shongwe of newcomers Tuks Ladies as well as Ntombifikile Fiona Ndlovu from the University of the Western Cape (UWC). The latter has scored in every match since the start of the season and is the leading goal scorer in the league with nine goals to her name.
Only one player is from the Sasol League, Asanda Hadebe of Sunflower FC in Durban.
“We have a 32-player preliminary squad that we have chosen for this upcoming camp. 26 local players will go into camp on the 27th of March 2023. We all know this is a very big year for women’s football and when the final 23-player traveling party to the FIFA Women’s World Cup is announced, we want to make sure that when we meet up with the other players, we’ve pushed them to a different level,” Ellis told SAFA.net.
“This is all part of our preparation towards the World Cup. And as we said, we start now with what we plan to do at the World Cup and the players responded fantastically in the last camp (in Turkey). We thank the coaches in the Hollywoodbets Super League as well as the SASOL Women’s League. We thank them for the work that they’ve put in so far.”
Sasol, the sponsors of Banyana Banyana, have also sent a good luck message to the team.
“We would like to congratulate the ladies who were selected to be a part of the preliminary Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana squad. The international friendly game against Serbia comes at a pivotal time as the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup approaches. I implore the team to continue to work hard in camp as they prepare for this important friendly match. We believe that nothing is impossible if one is dedicated and the ladies remain focused to represent the country to the best of their ability,” said Nozipho Mbatha, Sasol Senior Manager: Group Brand and Sponsorship.
The team will depart for Serbia on 6 April 2023.
PRELIMINARY BANYANA BANYANA SQUAD TO FACE SERBIA – INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY:
| NAME & SURNAME | POSITION | CLUB | LOCATION |
| 1. ANDILE DLAMINI | Goalkeepers: | MAMELODI SUNDOWNS LADIES | Pretoria |
| 2. KAYLIN SWART | JVW FC | Johannesburg | |
| 3. REGIRL NGOBENI | UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN CAPE | Cape Town | |
| 4. KATLEGO MOLETSANE | ROYAL AM | Durban | |
| 5. DINEO MAGAGULA | TS GALAXY QUEENS | KwaMhlanga | |
| 6. ASANDA HADEBE | Defenders: | SUNFLOWER FC | Durban |
| 7. KARABO DHLAMINI | MAMELODI SUNDOWNS LADIES | Pretoria | |
| 8. FIKILE MAGAMA | UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN CAPE | Cape Town | |
| 9. TIISETSO MAKHUBELA | MAMELODI SUNDOWNS LADIES | Pretoria | |
| 10. LONATHEMBA MHLONGO | UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN CAPE | Cape Town | |
| 11.NOKO MATLOU | SD EIBAR | Spain | |
| 12. BAMBANANI MBANE | MAMELODI SUNDOWNS LADIES | Pretoria | |
| 13. BONGEKA GAMEDE | UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN CAPE | Cape town | |
| 14. REFILOE JANE | Midfielders: | SASSUOLO FC | Sassuolo, Italy |
| 15.SIBULELE HOLWENI | UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN CAPE | Cape Town | |
| 16. THUBELIHLE SHAMASE | UNIVERSITY OF JOHANNESBURG | Johannesburg | |
| 17. LINDA MOTLHALO | GLASGOW CITY | Glasgow, Scotland | |
| 18. KHOLOSA BIYANA | UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN CAPE | Cape Town | |
| 19. CIMONE SAULS | JVW FC | Johannesburg | |
| 20. NOMVULA KGOALE | TS GALAXY QUEENS | KwaMhlanga | |
| 21. ROBYN MOODALY | JVW FC | Johannesburg | |
| 22. AMOGELANG MOTAU | UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN CAPE | Cape Town | |
| 23. NOXOLO CESANE | Forwards: | TIGRES FEMENIL | Monterrey, Mexico |
| 24. GABRIELA SALGADO | JVW FC | Johannesburg | |
| 25. SPHUMELELE SHAMASE | UNIVERSITY OF JOHANNESBURG | Johannesburg | |
| 26. JERMAINE SEOPOSENWE | FC JUAREZ | Ciudad Juarez, Mexico | |
| 27. MELINDA KGADIETE | MAMELODI SUNDOWNS LADIES | Pretoria | |
| 28. NTHABISENG MAJIYA | RICHMOND LADIES | De Aar, Northern Cape | |
| 29. HILDAH MAGAIA | SEJONG SPORTSTOTO | South Korea | |
| 30. LELONA DAWETI | MAMELODI SUNDOWNS LADIES | Pretoria | |
| 31. NTOMBIFIKILE NDLOVU | UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN CAPE | Cape Town | |
| 32. WENDY SHONGWE | TUKS LADIES | Pretoria |
By Matlhomola Morake
