WOMEN’S FOOTBALL – MATLOU LEAVES SPANISH CLUB, HINTS AT BANYANA BANYANA RETIREMENT

Banyana Banyana defender Noko Matlou has parted ways with Spain’s Liga F side SD Eibar, who completed their season on Saturday (15 June) with a 2-0 defeat to Granada CF.

The South African, who was an unused substitute in the match, says she will not be renewing her contract which expires at the end of this month (June).

The Limpopo-born striker-turned defender joined the European side in 2021, suffering relegation to the second division, but was able to help the team gain promotion into top flight football last season.

She made 18 appearances in 30 games – seven of them 90 minute games.

SD Eibar finished the season on 31 points after eight wins, seven draws and 15 defeats, leaving them 10th on the table.

The 38 year old Matlou is now contemplating her future.

“It has been a fantastic season in a sense that the objective we had set ourselves was to retain our status in the Liga F (top division) and we managed to do just that. The only thing that bothered me and worried me a lot was that I was not playing as much as I would have liked. In all honesty, my stay in Spain has been both good and not so good but I enjoyed my time there. It’s all in the past now, all I need is a rest after a long season and soon I will make an announcement regarding my future,” said Matlou from Spain.

The second-highest capped Banyana Banyana player with 173 appearances (Janine van Wyk tops the list with 185 caps) has hinted that she may call time on the national team. She was also named the best woman player on the African continent in 2008.

Recently, Matlou along with several other regular players, including Thembi Kgatlana, Jermaine Seoposenwe, Nomvula Kgoale and Andile Dlamini, among others, were left out of the two friendly matches against Senegal.

“Yes, it is a concern when you are not selected for the national team, but one must also look at it in a different way – there are players knocking on the door and we won’t be there forever. Also, this is the time of planning for the next cycle of the World Cup and the Olympics Games, and we must be realistic that at my age I will not be there for the next major tournaments. But soon I will announce my plans regarding Banyana Banyana,” added Matlou.

She is expected back in the country on Wednesday (19 June).

Matlou becomes the second player to leave her European employers, following in the footsteps of Banyana Banyana captain Refiloe Jane, who recently left Italian outfit Sassuolo Women.

By Matlhomola Morake

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