The South African U17 Women’s National Team, Bantwana, has completed preparations for the all-important first leg second round 2024 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup qualifier against Ethiopia which will be played on Sunday, 4 February 2024 at the Abebe Bekila Stadium in the capital Addis Ababa.
Kickoff is 15h00 local time (14h00 South African time).
The visitors have already spent two days in the East African country, with two training sessions conducted, led by Head Coach Nthabeleng “Dunga” Modiko.
Bantwana will have to be strong enough to get away goals but also be solid defensively at home in the return leg to have any chance of progressing.
“We have done a lot of preparations for these matches over the past three weeks, and Sunday is D-Day. The players understand the significance of these qualifiers and it is for them to really want to get to the World Cup now, so they will have to put their best foot forward and return home with the much-needed goals,” said Modiko.
This will be South Africa’s third attempt at playing at the biggest stage in world football following appearances in the 2010 and 2018 tournaments in Trinidad and Tobago as well as Uruguay respectively.
Bantwana will be happy to know that they will have support in the stands from Mathekiso Letsie, the Deputy Ambassador of South Africa in Ethiopia after she and her members of staff at the South African embassy paid the squad a visit at their hotel.
Bantwana are expected back home on Monday, 5 February and will host Ethiopia for the second leg on Sunday, 10 February at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville.
The overall winner in the two-legged qualifier will progress to the third round scheduled for May where they will meet either DR Congo or Kenya. The fourth and final round will be played in June, while the eighth edition of the tournament will be held in the Dominican Republic from 16 October to 3 November 2024.
This will be the first time the country hosts this event.
Sixteen teams will take part, with three African representatives in the mix.
Spain are the defending champions.
HERE ARE THE SOUTH AFRICAN PLAYER PROFILES:
https://www.safa.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/u17-Player-Profiles_South_Africa-1.pdf
By Matlhomola Morake
