Banyana Banyana goalkeeper Kaylin Swart feels the lesson they learnt at the previous Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) last year, coupled with a morale-boosting win over one of the powerhouses of women’s football, Japan, last month, put them in a better position to be African champions again.
Banyana disappointingly finished fourth at the last Wafcon in Morocco last year. SA, who won their first and last Wafcon title to date in the same country back in 2022, are in Group B with Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Tanzania at this year’s continental championship, taking place in Morocco again from Sunday until August 16.
Banyana, who’ve already settled in Casablanca, stunned Japan 1-0 in a friendly in Osaka last month in what was their last friendly before Wafcon. Japan, who thumped Banyana 5-0 in the first friendly also last month, are ranked fifth in the world, while SA are 57th.
“Going to Japan, I don’t think we knew what we were going to face, although we knew what type of a team Japan are, obviously ranked fifth in the world,” Swart said.
“The second game definitely showed that we’re capable of fighting with the best and that game really gave us a big boost in confidence … but also just to see where we are as individuals and what we bring to the team.
“To win and keep a clean sheet against Japan was huge, and it’s what you want going into Wafcon.”
Swart feels the lessons they picked up from the previous Wafcon have also prepared them to win this year’s edition, with World Cup qualification also their dream.
“We talk a lot about the lessons we learnt from the previous Wafcon. We think the biggest lesson was complacency; we saw that everyone is beatable,” the Banyana keeper said.
“Coming fourth wasn’t something that we wanted, but looking back at that tournament now, we feel we are better positioned to compete while also using those lessons to do better. First and foremost, we must qualify for the World Cup, and that’s non-negotiable. We want to be champions and go to the World Cup,” Swart said.
The four Wafcon semi-finalists secure direct World Cup qualification, while two additional spots are determined via play-off pathways. The next World Cup will be hosted by Brazil next winter.
Banyana’s Wafcon Group B fixtures (all at Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca, in SA time):
July 27 v Tanzania (6pm)
July 31 v Ivory Coast (6pm)
August 4 v Burkina Faso (9pm)
Sowetan
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