Banyana chasing continental glory
WAFCON: LOOKING AT SHEDDING THE BRIDESMAID’S TAG
The highly competitive continental national women’s tournament the Caf Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) is here again, and Banyana Banyana will continue with their quest for their first continental title in Cameroon.
For the first time since the inception of the tournament, 12 nations will be vying for glory in the West African country, where teams have been grouped into three groups of four.
Banyana are in Group C, alongside Burundi, Nigeria and Botswana, while Group B consists of the hosts Cameroon, Tunisia, Zambia and Togo.
In Group A, Burkina Faso, Morocco, Senegal and Uganda will battle it out.
The top two sides in each group will advance to the quarterfinals of the tournament, along with two teams that finish as the best third-placed sides.
The tournament is set to be tantalising, with the favourites Nigeria aiming for their 12th title, while Cameroon are four-time runners-up and Banyana, five time runners-up.
All three teams are the highest-ranked nations in women’s football on the continent and it is hard to determine who should wear the favourite tag.
Banyana are looking to go one better after coming so close to winning the tournament in the last edition in 2018, losing 4-3 to the Nigerians on penalties when the final ended goalless after extra-time.
Banyana have lacked international experience in the past, which has seen them wearing the bridesmaid tag.
However, in the past few years, the team has grown much stronger, thanks to a lot of South Africans in bigger professional leagues in Europe.
South Africa’s captain Refiloe Jane plays her football in the Women’s Serie A in Italy for AC Milan. Jane will certainly be a key figure in Banyana’s pursuit of glory, with Spain-based trio Thembi Kgatlana (Atletico Madrid), Noko Matlou (SD Eibar), Kholosa Biyana (Sporting Gijon) Sweden based Linda Motlhalo of Djurgardens and Lebogang Ramalepe of Dinamo Minsk in Belarus.
Fixtures
Monday: 7pm: v Nigeria
Thursday: 7pm: v Burundi
10 July: 10pm: v Botswana