U-23s, Banyana tough Safa order
THE SA Football Association has told both the national under-23 team and Banyana Banyana: make history at the Olympics next month and reach the knockout stages.
This after Safa spent around R25-million on the teams’ preparation for the event, which kicks off in Rio on August 5. Over half of that money has been spent on Banyana because, unlike the men, the players do not have a professional league to rely on, Safa said.
Banyana, who play a friendly against the US this weekend, have played internationals against Cameroon (twice), Zimbabwe and the Netherlands (twice). Another friendly against New Zealand has also been lined up.
The men’s side played against Japan last week after winning the Cosafa Cup in Namibia. According to Safa chief executive Dennis Mumble, Owen da Gama’s under-23s will play a couple of friendly matches in Brazil just before the Olympics kick off.
“We don’t want to go there and just make up the numbers. So the mandate is do well and go into the knockout stages at least,” said Mumble.
“For Banyana we must have spent R15-million so far because their conditions are different as opposed to the under-23s. The men play for professional clubs, so they get regular playing time. On the under-23s, we have spent between eight and R10-million.”
Both teams have been drawn in tough groups and it will be a big ask for them to reach the knockout stages for the first time in the country’s history. The men face Brazil, Denmark and Iraq in a tough Group A.
Banyana, meanwhile, have a tougher challenge in Group E against Brazil, China and Sweden.
Mumble was speaking at the launch of the SAB under21 national championships yesterday. The competition, comprising nine provinces and a university select side (USSA Football), will take place in Polokwane from July 9 to 16. The matches will be played at Oscar Mpheta Stadium. SAB under-21 groups: Group A: KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape, Free State, Eastern Cape, USSA Football Group B: Limpopo, Gauteng, Northern Cape, North West, Mpumalanga.