Banyana Banyana have wasted no time in getting down to business after they assembled for camp ahead of their international friendly clash with the Netherlands on Wednesday, 12 March 22.
Desiree Ellis’ charges have already had two training sessions to get ready for the big clash.
With the elite women’s league in South Africa still to kick off, the main concern is fitness, especially match fitness because most, if not all, the players are back in pre-season training with their clubs.
“It feels good to be back in camp. We had our second training session today and you can already see the difference with the girls pushing, and we are much more shaper than we were when we assembled for previous camps,” said Banyana Banyana midfielder Thalea Smidt on the SAFA.net website
“The league has not started yet, but most of us are further into pre-season and we have been playing friendly matches. This should help us a lot going into our International friendly against the Netherlands because the battle is going to require us to be strong mentally, and it will be good to test ourselves against some of the best in the world.”
Banyana Banyana’s last match was the Africa Women Cup of Nations played in February where Smidt also featured, after making her debut a few days in a friendly international against Zambia.
Only the local based players have reported for national team duty, with the overseas-based group only joining later.
“We also still have our international-based players joining us and most, if not all, are active in their leagues, and when they join us they will boost the team morale and we will be ready to go.”
Smidt has been a pivotal figure in Sundown’s march to the treble – Hollywoodbets Super League, COSAFA Women’s Club Championship and the CAF Women’s Champions League, and harbours great ambition of plying her trade abroad.
“I would like to play in the big leagues in Europe. England, Spain and France are some of the leagues that I see myself at. I like the French league and I am a big fan of the PSG style of play. Playing abroad is definitely part of my ambitions but the focus is the upcoming game against the Netherlands,” she added.
Sundowns Ladies has the biggest contingent of players selected for the national team for the friendly against the Netherlands – https://centrecircle.online/banyana-banyana-set-date-with-netherlands/
By Matlhomola Morake
