Mulaudzi stars for Banyana

Mulaudzi 6, 45; Holweni 79

RHODA Mulaudzi was the heroine as Banyana Banyana got back to winning ways after defeating Lesotho in an international friendly at Tsakane Stadium yesterday.

Having lost their last two matches – against Japan in an international friendly and Botswana in this year’s Tokyo Olympic Games qualifiers – it was important the South Africans bounced back with winning ways, especially with the 2021 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations around the corner.

But in order to turn the corner, Banyana needed a top marksman and Mulaudzi produced the goods, scoring a brace as she took her domestic form with Mamelodi Sundowns women’s team, where she’s scored 36 goals, to international level.

Mulaudzi opened her scoring spree as early as the sixth minute but on the stroke of half-time she grabbed her brace, ensuring that there was a buzz within the team as they went into the second stanza of the game, where Sibulele Holweni put the final nail in the coffin with Banyana’s third.

Despite Mulaudzi standing in the spotlight for her heroics, goalkeeper Andile Dlamini – who made her 50th appearance in the green and yellow of the national team – also deserves a mention, especially with how far she’s come in the national team set-up.

Having made her national team debut during the 1-0 loss to Botswana in 2011, Dlamini has been an epitome of hard-work and perseverance in her resurgence.

After deputising Kaylin Swart during the 2018 Awcon in Ghana, where South Africa finished second and qualified for their maiden Fifa Women’s World Cup last year in France, Dlamini earned her stripes in the global showpiece as she donned the No 1 jersey and she has not looked back.