Bantwana coach prepared for backlash

With a handsome 5-1 lead over Morocco heading into the second leg of the final qualifying round for the Under-17 Fifa Women’s World Cup in Sale tomorrow, Bantwana coach Siphiwe Dludlu (right) is anticipating the hosts to give them a tough time, but says her team are up to the task.

“I am expecting Morocco to come up with a new and more motivated team, I am expecting them to take the fight to us because they are playing at home and they have shown that left unchecked, they can hurt you. They are a team that don’t give up. We are expecting nothing but a tough match, and that is what we are preparing for because they still have hopes of qualifying. But we are ready for the challenge,” said Dludlu.

The former Banyana player adds that qualifying for the World Cup in Uruguay later this year will bring a lot of joy to her players.

“We will give nothing but our best on that field. It excites me because I know what it will mean for every girl who is in this team to be able say ‘I was part of that squad that qualified for the World Cup’. The biggest thing will be seeing the smile on those girls’ faces when the final whistle is blown, that is what will warm my heart,” she added.

“Someone might say you have it easy, you have it in the bag, even if you field your second-string team, but that is not the case.”

If South Africa prevail as expected, it will be the second time the women’s Under-17 national team make an appearance at the tournament. The last time Bantwana qualified for the World Cup was back in 2010 when it was held in Trinidad and Tobago.