Banyana’s Van Wyk is living her dream
● It’s been a week of fierce football battles between SA and Nigeria, with Bafana Bafana having clashed with the Super Eagles in Johannesburg yesterday and Banyana Banyana facing the Super Falcons in Ghana this afternoon.
The outcome of both these matches are not only going to be about the bragging rights, but more importantly about stabilising these countries’ football bodies. Qualifying for next year’s events will boost their ailing coffers with sponsors falling over themselves wanting a piece of their cake.
The men’s teams are chasing qualification for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon and the women’s will represent Africa in the Fifa Women’s World Cup in France if they finish in the top three of the African Women’s Nations Cup that kicked off in Ghana yesterday.
For Banyana captain Janine van Wyk, qualifying for the World Cup will see her reach the pinnacle of her football career alongside other Banyana veterans that include Noko Matlou, Mamello Makhabane and Nompumelelo Nyandeni.
At 31, Van Wyk doesn’t see herself featuring in the Banyana team that will fight for a place in the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
“It’s always been our dream to qualify for a World Cup,” said Van Wyk, who will earn her 156th cap today against Nigeria in their opening match of Group B.
“We’ve qualified for many Awcon tournaments but the one that is still hanging there is the World Cup.
“For us that are long-serving members of the team that is our ultimate goal: to qualify for the World Cup. I think not only for us but it will also change women’s football in our country if we qualify for the World Cup.”
In today’s match Van Wyk will lead a Banyana team that has struggled to beat the Falcons over the years as they have only one win against six losses.
Well prepared
Banyana’s 1-0 victory over Nigeria came courtesy of Van Wyk’s stunner in the semifinals of the Awcon in Equatorial Guinea in 2012 and the Alberton-born defender believes they have prepared well enough to beat the Falcons at the Accra Stadium (5.30pm SA time) today.
“We almost see Nigeria as our rival team and it’s always a heated game when we play against them. It’s almost going to be like a final,” said Van Wyk.
Banyana’s route to the semifinals will not be an easy one as they will be forced to gun for maximum points against the 2012 champions Equatorial Guinea and Zambia if they fail to gain anything against the Falcons.
In trying to fuel the Sasol sponsored Banyana to do well in Ghana, players have been promised R160,000 each if they win the tournament and qualify for the World Cup but Van Wyk is already looking far beyond that.
“I think a lot of sponsors will come on board if we qualify for the World Cup and as players we can actually make a full-time career out of football,” said Van Wyk.
“We have to thank Sasol and our associations for putting the incentives on the table. Obviously as a player it motivates you but that’s just one source of motivations for us to go out there and perform.
“Everything else is obviously the passion that we have, the sacrifices that we’ve made throughout our lives. So everything comes together and it’s a big encouragement.”