Brazil expose Banyana’s limitations before the WC
The 3-0 loss marks start of SA’s preparations for next year’s Fifa Women’s World Cup
Without a doubt, Banyana Banyana have grown in leaps and bounds over the past few years and that can be seen by how they finally managed to conquer Africa recently.
But the harsh reality is that there’s still a sizeable gap between the Desiree Elliscoached side and other top women national teams in the world and Banyana will have to up their game to perform at the highest level.
That was evident when the 2022 Women’s African Cup of Nations (Wafcon) champions lost 3-0 to a strong Brazil side in an international friendly at Orlando Stadium in Soweto on Friday night.
Brazil scored two goals in two minutes late in the first half due to a lapse of concentration from the South Africans.
The match marked the start of Banyana’s preparations for the Fifa Women’s World Cup to be staged in Australia and New Zealand next year. This will be SA’s second appearance at the world showpiece after they made their debut in 2019 in France where they lost all their three matches in the group stages.
While the South Africans didn’t look completely out of depth against the eighttime Copa America Femenina winners, they never looked like they were going to win the match or even manage a draw.
According to Brazil coach Pia Sundhage, her side’s performance was disappointing — and yet they managed to beat SA the way they did. That shows the level of quality and the class of the Brazilians and that of the teams they are likely to meet during the World Cup.
Yes, not many expect Banyana to win the
World Cup next year, but at the very least they need to show improvement and growth from their last appearance at the event.
What was clear from the Brazil game is that Banyana need to play against more opponents of that level before they get on a plane to the World Cup.
SA Football Association (Safa) head honchos need to get stronger top sides to help toughen Banyana. Playing against lowly-ranked sides they can easily beat is not going to help SA ahead of the World Cup.
The two matches against Brazil are a good start and they shouldn’t take it a notch down by playing friendlies they are guaranteed to win.
Coach Ellis said she had told Safa of her plans and the kind of matches she would want to play before heading to Australia and New Zealand.
“We have given a plan (to Safa), we have another Fifa international break in October beside the match on Monday. Then we will wait for the draw because we need to see who will be in our group and make sure we don’t play one of them,” Ellis said.
“But we are definitely looking to play these kinds of matches to get us ready. We did the same in 2019 and we didn’t win a game, but those matches really tested us and got us ready for the World Cup. It was fantastic to start the preparation for the World Cup against Brazil. A big thank you to Safa and Sasol, they said they will get us good preparations and they kept their word.
“We said to the players ‘if you think the Wafcon was it, you have no idea what you are facing at the World Cup’. The intensity at the World Cup is going to be something they have never experienced before. That is why we took these games to make sure that from the beginning they know what they will be facing. So, we were ready for the pressing, at times we played out and at times we were nervy.”
The World Cup draw is scheduled to take place on October 22 in Auckland, New Zealand.
Banyana will face Brazil in the second friendly at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban tomorrow (6pm).
Having faced the same opponent on Friday, Ellis will be hoping her side will show some improvement in matching the Brazilians.